Case Study

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust – Violence Prevention and Reduction Campaign

How we’re working to turn staff engagement into a national movement, for The Right to Care Safely.

Talk to us

The challenge

In 2023, 13.7% of NHS staff and 27.6% of ambulance staff experienced at least one incident of physical violence from patients, service users, relatives or other members of the public, while 25.15% of NHS staff had experienced at least one incident of harassment, bullying or abuse.

And this was just among those who’d completed that year’s NHS Staff Survey. A lot of incidents go unreported.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB) are determined to do something about it, with the launch of ‘The Right to Care Safely’.

The solution

Responding to a vital staff engagement need – Our campaign needed to encourage staff to report any incidents of aggressive or violent behaviour, while raising awareness of the support services available to help them deal with the effects on their physical and mental wellbeing.

To deliver authentic messages that would resonate, we conducted a series of insight-gathering conversations with UHDB employees who spoke about how they’ve been affected personally and emotionally, as well as the impact on colleagues and other patients.

A campaign designed to make everyone stop and think – With headlines based on real stories, this campaign had to stand out from the usual NHS blue and people photography. We also wanted to do justice to the Trust employees who’d spoken openly and frankly about their experiences. For this campaign to have any impact, it was important not to shy away from the truth and the harmful effect these incidents can have.

We also designed the campaign to draw the attention of hospital visitors, patients and their families. To show that this behaviour is not acceptable, and that action will be taken against them – where appropriate.

Campaign evolution – We’re now working to evolve the campaign into a drive to raise wider public awareness, inspire advocacy, gain political traction, and reduce violence and aggression towards NHS employees.

What we delivered

Recently launched, the campaign is already empowering more UHDB staff to report any incidents.

It’s working to raise greater awareness that violent and aggressive behaviour towards Trust staff is not acceptable.

And it will go a long way towards boosting UHDB’s brand as an employer that not only listens to and stands up for its staff but is also determined to lead real change across the NHS.

Early indications are that this campaign is having a significant impact. It’s encouraging our staff to report incidents of violence and abuse – something they weren’t reporting before. A huge thank you from me personally. Making our staff feel heard and cared for is of huge importance.

Associate Director, Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing, UHDB