The Kindness campaign features images of real healthcare workers talking about their recent experiences at the hospitals, with straplines such as ‘we are proud to care for you' and ‘please don't abuse our staff'.

Figures show there are around 100 recorded incidents of aggression, including physical assault and verbal abuse, recorded at UHL sites each month. 

Kim Hudson, head of security at UHL, said: ‘While most patients and visitors treat our colleagues with kindness and respect, a small number seem to think it is acceptable to use sexist, racist and abusive language, and even physical violence. We take all reports of abusive behaviour towards our colleagues very seriously. Our colleagues work incredibly hard every single day to make a difference to the lives of so many people. 

UHL introduced body worn cameras to the Emergency Department at the Leicester Royal Infirmary last year. The teams report that they are a successful deterrent for would-be offenders and, where needed, provide vital evidence to hand over to the police for further investigation. The cameras have been so successful that they will be rolled out in the Clinical Decisions Unit at Glenfield Hospital.

In addition, UHL became the first acute trust in the country to start using a safety app to keep its staff safe. Staff can download the app, share their location, and alert security teams about any safety-related incidents, including violence or aggression, at the touch of a button.