Coventry University research highlights need for stronger NHS support after workplace violence

A Coventry University researcher is calling for greater focus on how NHS staff are supported after experiencing violence or abuse at work, arguing that the period immediately following an incident is critical for protecting wellbeing and retaining staff.

The call comes as the latest NHS Staff Survey, released on 12th March, found that 14% of NHS workers experienced physical violence in the past 12 months. The findings highlight the scale of the issue facing healthcare staff and the importance of consistent post-incident support.

Dana Sammut (pictured), a nurse and PhD student at Coventry University’s Research Centre for Healthcare and Community Transformation, is examining how hospitals respond once an incident has occurred and how those responses could be improved. Her interest in the subject developed early in her nursing career after witnessing the impact that confrontational or distressing situations had on colleagues.

Sammut said: “My aim is to draw attention to the post-violence period. I believe it’s where we can reduce harm, protect staff and build more resilient workplaces.”

Her study, Post-Event Strategies for Workplace Violence Affecting Hospital Staff, was co-authored with Professor Liz Deutsch from Coventry University and the Centre for Care Excellence at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, and Dr Nutmeg Hallett from the University of Birmingham. The research reviewed evidence from 27 international publications examining how hospitals respond following incidents of workplace violence.

The analysis found that measures such as staff debriefs, access to psychological support, follow-up discussions, accountability processes and organisational reviews are often included within broader workplace-violence programmes. As a result, their individual purpose and effectiveness can be difficult to evaluate.

Sammut said: “In addition to asking what it means for interventions to ‘work’, I wanted to understand what’s actually being done. Most post-incident measures aren’t treated as standalone strategies, so we pay little attention to how they’re intended to help staff or what outcomes they’re meant to achieve.”

Her research suggests that focusing solely on whether incidents of violence decrease may overlook where meaningful change can occur. Instead, she argues that the hours and days following an incident are often when staff are most affected and most in need of support.