The measures are part of a range of recommendations accepted by the government under the Agenda for Change contract, which covers over a million frontline NHS workers, following the agreement of the 2023 pay deal.
Violence against healthcare workers has become a critical issue, with the 2024 NHS Staff Survey revealing that one in seven experienced physical violence from patients, their relatives or other members of the public.
In addition, a quarter of NHS staff experienced at least one incident of harassment, bullying or abuse in the past 12 months.
New measures will be put in place to encourage staff to report incidents of violence or aggression towards them, and to ensure this information is collected at national level. Data will also be analysed to better understand if certain staff groups - whether by race, gender, disability status, or role - face disproportionate risks, allowing trusts to protect the most vulnerable workers.
Secretary of state for health and social care, Wes Streeting, told Unison's National Health Care Service Group Conference in Liverpool: ‘No one should go to work fearing violence. Yet one in every seven people employed by the NHS have suffered violence at the hands of patients, their relatives, or other members of the public.
‘Protecting staff from violence is not an optional extra. Zero tolerance for violence and harassment of NHS staff. It's a commitment to make sure healthcare workers can focus on saving lives without fear for their own safety.'
The package of measures will also address longstanding issues around ensuring staff are paid correctly for the work they deliver. The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with NHS England, NHS Employers and the Staff Council to implement a national digital system to support the fair and consistent application of the Job Evaluation Scheme. This will ensure staff are placed in the appropriate pay band recognising the skills and knowledge required for the role.
Further measures include:
- enhanced career progression support for nurses such as more learning and development, leadership training and career coaching for managers
- new guidance for employers on how to recognise overseas experience on appointment into the NHS and share best practice on recruitment and selection processes
- steps to reduce reliance on expensive agency workers by making it easier for NHS staff to take up flexible working and developing good practice guidance on working patterns for existing staff
- encouraging six-month career reviews tailored specifically for ethnic minority nurses to identify progression pathways and provide targeted interview preparation support
In total, 36 recommendations have been accepted by ministers. These measures are expected to have 'a considerable and positive impact on the NHS workforce, improve staff morale and enhance recruitment and retention'.
In response, Unison head of health Helga Pile, said: 'Grading, the treatment of overseas staff and tackling the increasing number of attacks on NHS workers are all issues that should have been dealt with years ago. But these were neglected by Conservative governments. It's helpful the government is picking up what the previous administration failed to do.'
