Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:

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Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04  Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON

This will get me more than the usual level of whitabootery complaints and, of course, I agree that any violence against NHS staff is utterly unacceptable but voters are entitled to know which party has reduced it most.

Some, too, will say, that’s nothing to do with the SNP but if they do ask them ‘What if it had gone up, who’d be to blame then?’

Anyhow, the Guardian today has:

The health service’s 2025 staff survey found that one in seven had experienced violence from patients or the public, while more than a quarter reported harassment, bullying and abuse, the highest levels in three years. The findings follow a recent Guardian investigation showing that NHS trusts disclosed nearly 300,000 incidents of physical violence and 50,000 of sexual harm in the three years to April 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/13/hundreds-of-thousands-of-nhs-staff-in-england-attacked-and-harassed-survey-shows

So, 300 000 in 3 years, easy, 100 000 per year, and increasing.

Scotland? To be at the same level per head, 10 000 per year?

Is it?

From Healthcare.scot, the graph above and in the light of the graph, the slightly puzzling headline – Shocking levels of violence towards NHS staff – and this:

The Scottish government is being told it must act to eradicate violence against NHS Scotland staff, as newly-released figures show there have been over 51,000 violent incidents since 2019 – disproportionately against nurses. https://healthandcare.scot/stories/4099/nhs-scotland-violent-incidents-rcn

On average, over six years, 8 500. NHS England around 15% higher and rising.

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:

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Click on the above.

Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04  Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON