Physical assaults on staff at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals are on the rise.
New figures show there were 110 physical assaults in the hospitals during 2010-11, compared to 96 in 2009-10, a rise of 14 per cent.
Accident and Emergency department staff at St Helier Hospital experience weekly verbal abuse, and have been punched, kicked and thrown against walls by members of the public.
The number of assaults was significantly higher than the national average.
Matthew Hopkins, chief executive of the hospitals' trust, said: “Our staff are here to help people, not to be abused, whether physically or verbally.
“Physical assaults on NHS staff should not happen at all. It’s that simple. Our doctors, nurses, receptionists, and other support staff work incredibly hard to give people the best care that they can. “The idea that some people who come into our hospitals seeking our help find it acceptable to assault our staff is disgraceful. It saddens me deeply.”
He said the hospital had a zero tolerance approach to violence and aggression against staff and would not hesitate to involve the police and push for prosecutions.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here