London hospital staff punched to the ground, kicked in the jaw and told to ‘go to the jungle’ as trust cracks down on abuse

A London hospital is cracking down on abusive patients and family members. Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust says violence against staff has more than doubled over the past three years.
Harrowing abuse staff have had to endure includes threats to kill, racist abuse and being both punched and kicked. Following the spate of assaults, the trust has launched a campaign called ‘No Abuse No Excuse’ to combat the issue.
Posters quoting staff members and the abuse they have suffered have been put in hospitals and facilities across the trust as part of the campaign. NHS bosses hope it will mean no one can escape the message that they won’t tolerate staff being hit, shouted at or subjected to racist abuse.
Nurse Yvonne Ihekwoakba said: “My patient was verbally abusive when I offered him his medication. I tried to calm him down. The next thing I knew I was punched in my stomach and landed on the floor. I was in A&E for several hours.”
In January 2021 36 incidents of violence and aggression against staff were recorded. This figure rose to 75 in January 2024, while a recent survey showed 14.5 per cent of the trust’s workforce has experienced violence and aggression from those they are caring for.
Security worker Mohammed Islam struggled to return a work after his teeth were broken when he was kicked by a patient. He said it had both a physical and mental affect on him.
Theo Kayode-Osiyemi, from the appointments team: “I have often been abused racially and called names that are not pleasant to hear or repeat. One day I was told to go to the jungle where I belong.”
Along with the visual impact of the campaign, the trust is making it easier to ban abusive patients from its hospitals when clinically safe to do so. Under current rules this has only happened once over the past five years.
Some 60 new body-worn cameras are also being given to staff as part of the initiative. Chief Executive Matthew Trainer said: “Our staff should not be shouted at, hit, or subjected to racist abuse while doing their job. It’s happening more and more often to colleagues in our hospitals, and we are taking action to respond to their concerns. Our message couldn’t be simpler: no abuse, no excuse.”