'More protection needed' for NHS staff

NHS staff require more protection from abusive patients, an MP has said.

Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, remarked that this kind of behaviour must not be tolerated.

He called for the government to 'sit up and listen' in the wake of figures released by the Healthcare Commission.

According to the findings, 30% of ambulance workers suffered a violent assault while doing their job during 2007.

And abusive patients have targeted just over a quarter (26%) of NHS employees in the last 12 months.

'It is simply unacceptable that levels of violence against staff have actually risen since 2005,' Mr Lamb remarked.

'Staff are clearly not being provided with the protection that they need to do their jobs.'

Meanwhile, figures obtained earlier this week by Nursing Standard magazine revealed that in 2006 a quarter of student nurses dropped out of their university course.