A survey conducted by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine of more than 2,000 workers in the UK revealed widespread abuse targeting emergency department staff. The data showed that 73% of respondents reported experiencing violence or aggression of all kinds on a daily or weekly basis, while nearly all respondents—96%—indicated they had encountered abuse from patients or members of the public. Additionally, 63% of survey participants said they had suffered discrimination including racism, sexism, and homophobia.
Emergency department leadership attributed the rising abuse to structural challenges within the healthcare system. Long waiting times, overcrowding, staff shortages, and corridor care—the practice of treating patients in non-clinical spaces due to capacity constraints—were identified as primary factors contributing to increased violence and aggression. Staff members described these conditions as making abuse a “routine” aspect of working on the hospital frontline. One resident doctor reported experiencing direct, hateful verbal abuse, while a senior emergency doctor recounted being kicked in the face by an aggressive patient.
The psychological toll on workers was evident in the survey results. Only 4% of respondents said they always felt safe working in A&E, while 75% reported short-term stress and anxiety, 40% experienced burnout, and 28% reported long-term stress or anxiety. The RCEM warned that continued deterioration of conditions in emergency departments would have “devastating” consequences for the healthcare workforce.
National data provided additional context to the problem. Between 2022 and 2025, more than 295,000 incidents of physical violence and aggression by patients against staff were recorded by 212 NHS trusts in England. The number of violent incidents increased from 91,175 in 2022-23 to 104,079 in 2024-25, equating to approximately 285 cases reported daily in the most recent year.
Government officials and health leadership called for increased action. The Department of Health and Social Care stated that violence and abuse toward NHS staff are unacceptable and emphasized that staff have a fundamental right to workplace safety. The RCEM urged the government to accelerate efforts to reduce waiting times and overcrowding while ensuring that those who intimidate, abuse, or assault healthcare workers face meaningful consequences.
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