Police will review hate crimes against NHS workers as staff report being strangled and urinated on

A police operation has begun to protect NHS staff from abuse following a successful trial across South London.

Known as Operation Cavell, the initiative will see a senior officer review all reports of assaults and hate crime against NHS workers.

Following a three-month pilot, the National Health Service (NHS), Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have been working in partnership to launch the scheme today which aims to increase convictions and protect NHS staff on the frontline.

A pilot scheme took place across Lambeth, Southwark, Bromley, Croydon and Sutton between October 2020 and January 2021.

The pilot looked at 63 investigations and had a 26.45 per cent charge rate.

Before Op Cavell, over a three month period, 30 NHS and London Ambulance Service (LAS) assaults were recorded and revealed only 6.6 per cent resulted in a charge.

Matt Cheyne, Security Site Manager at Croydon Hospital, has also seen a drastic improvement in convictions of those responsible for criminal damage and assault on staff at his workplace.

Matt said: “Sadly we do sometimes see the worst of people. Sometimes whilst in a fit of rage, people can pick up medical bottles or drip stands, even keyboards, and use them to attack our staff.

“Most recently, a male mental health nurse was tending to a lady who became inexplicably hostile and swung her handbag at the nurse. It was shocking and completely unwarranted.

“However, we are pleased to say that we had a new regular patient who has recently been arrested due to Op Cavell. This patient caused around £15,000 of criminal damage, assaulted many of my team and was just a generally abusive.

“It took us a while originally to get any form of outcome as at first, as police were trying to secure the facts about whether the patient had a mental health issue, which would obviously change things in terms of securing a conviction.

“However, following a review, this person was arrested and is now on remand until their court date.

“It was magic. We would very much like to see the op rolled out more widely to support hospital staff.”

One of the biggest challenges officers and NHS staff face is that many NHS workers feel being assaulted is “part of the job”.

Prior to the pilot, 50 per cent of NHS staff in London who were assaulted would not support an investigation whereas the last three months has seen that number drop to 25 per cent.

Chief Inspector Luke Mooney, from the MPS, who led the pilot, said: “We are determined to make sure our NHS staff feel confident to report assaults or hate crime. There is no place in society for such abuse.

“Operation Cavell, in partnership with CPS, will be focussed on ensuring offenders are brought to justice in line with assault on emergency worker legislation.

“Over the past three months alone NHS and LAS colleagues have been punched, kicked, spat at, urinated on, strangled, thrown across a room, had faeces thrown on them and been racially abused.

“Op Cavell was launched to change this during a time where the NHS are facing pressures like never before during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The roll-out will see cases of assault on NHS staff be treated the same way that Operation Hampshire does for assaults on police officers, which has seen charge rates in some boroughs as high as 75 per cent.

“The process will ensure all crimes are dealt with by specialised and dedicated police investigators.”

London’s Chief Crown Prosecutors Lionel Idan and Barry Hughes said jointly: “Mainstreaming Operation Cavell across London can only be good news for our dedicated frontline NHS workers, who must be able go about their critical work without threat of physical harm or abuse.

“This strong multi-agency response should leave no one in any doubt about the serious consequences of attacking NHS workers either physically or verbally. CPS London will not hesitate to prosecute those responsible.”

Martin Machray, Joint Regional Chief Nurse for NHS England & Improvement – London, said:“The last year of the pandemic has shone a light on the selflessness and dedication of NHS staff.

“All our staff should be able to come into work without fear of violence, injury or abuse.

“We therefore welcome the rollout of this important initiative across mental health services in London and we hope it will help protect and support our wonderful colleagues.”

Commander Melanie Dales who leads the Met’s operation, said: “This year, the NHS has faced an unbelievable challenge, and to know that on top of that many of them have suffered assaults and abuse at work is heart-breaking.

“The pilot has shown great improvement in conviction rates and I hope that by rolling it out across the Met that number will increase significantly.

“The stories you have heard from the brave individuals herein show how this operation is vital in helping to bring about convictions to those who commit these offences.

“We work tirelessly to ensure that any assaults on our officers are looked into and our emergency service colleagues in the NHS are no different. There is still a long way to go to ensure that nobody should go to work and face the threat of assault or abuse.”