Commenting on the joint Healthcare Commission and Royal College of Psychiatrists report into assaults on nurses working on mental health wards, Gail Adams, UNISON Head of Nursing, said:

"The level of violence and aggression towards nurses on mental health wards makes shocking reading. It is clear that more needs to be done to protect staff and risk assessments, training and a good skills mix are the key to achieving that.

"It is vital that thorough risk assessments are carried out on each patient. The report misses the importance of the information that carers can provide about any previous history of violence.

"Adequate staffing levels and a good skills mix will also encourage an air of calmness on a ward. Where there are staff shortages, or a lot of agency and bank staff, the ward can become more frantic and patients will pick up on that.

"It is also important that all staff should also be well trained in the same techniques, so they work together to contain any violence or aggression.

"However, we should not stereotype mental health patients as being violent, this is far from the case. If a patient attacks a member of staff, there should be a zero tolerance approach and if found competent, they should be liable to prosecution."

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