On 2 January 2021 NHS England and NHS Improvement published the first national Violence Prevention and Reduction Standard for NHS organisations.

The new standard complements existing health and safety legislation, employers (including NHS employers) have a general duty of care to protect staff from threats and violence at work. The standard delivers a risk-based framework that supports a safe and secure working environment for NHS staff, safeguarding them against abuse, aggression and violence.

The standard has been developed in partnership with the Social Partnership Forum and its subgroups, including trade unions and the Workforce Issues and Violence Reduction Groups. It was endorsed by the Social Partnership Forum on 15 December 2020. 

Key areas for NHS organisations under the Violence Prevention and Reduction Standard, assessment indicators include:

• board accountability
• workforce and workplace risk assessments
• workforce engagement
• training
• supporting roles
• learning outcomes from management reviews
• audit and assurance.  

Read the Violence Prevention and Reduction Standard and find more information on the NHS England and NHS Improvement website.