Eastbourne DGH staff who suffer violence at work will get ‘the best possible support’, police say

Eastbourne District General Hospital (DGH) staff who face workplace violence will receive "the best possible support," according to a commitment by Sussex Police under Operation Cavell.

Officers visited the Eastbourne DGH to reinforce that violence against healthcare workers is completely unacceptable and to outline a structured response process for reporting and investigating assaults.

Key Elements of the Support Plan

The initiative focuses on giving healthcare workers the confidence to report incidents, ensuring they are not treated as "part of the job". The police response includes: 

• Reporting Awareness: Educating teams on how and why to report every incident, ranging from verbal abuse to physical assault.
• Criminal Justice Guidance: Offering victims emotional support and step-by-step guidance as their cases move through the legal system.
• Practical & Well-being Assistance: Providing direct on-duty safety support and practical assistance for affected staff members. 

This local rollout comes amidst rising national trends, where healthcare data indicates that approximately 1 in 7 NHS workers experienced physical violence from patients, relatives, or the public in recent years.