VIOLENCE towards Huddersfield hospital staff will not be tolerated.

That's the message from hospital bosses as it was announced there were 334 incidents against staff last year.

Now the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and the police are working together to develop the trust's new policy against increasing violence and aggression.

The policy, which was launched at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary yesterday, includes a closer working relationship and improved training and support for staff.

Police also revealed that they hope to have a permanent site at the hospital soon.

Insp David Glover, the head of neighbourhood policing for Kirklees south, said: "We are raising the awareness of people who use the hospital that the police will support all staff."

He said people who went to hospital did so at vulnerable times and needed protection from anti-social behaviour.

Insp Nick Harvey, of the Community Safety Unit in Kirklees, said: "The courts can consider it an aggravating factor if the victim of any violence is a member of the health services carrying out their duties in serving the public."

Verbal abuse can be extremely personal in nature and has included threats against a member of staff's safety.

Physical assaults have ranged from spitting, pinching and scratching to punching, biting and kicking.

These incidents have resulted in injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to head injuries.

Verbal and physical abuse often leave hospital staff shocked and upset and in some cases severely traumatised.

Chris Bentley, a matron in HRI's medicine and elderly division, says verbal and physical abuse against staff is increasing.

She added: "We had an incident where one of the staff was initially verbally abused by a patient.

"When they asked not to be spoken to in that way the patient became physically abusive, which has a big knock-on effect to that member of staff.

"It knocks their confidence, they feel very vulnerable."

Speaking about clamping down on violence she said: "I think we are getting better as a trust.

"We are encouraging staff to report any incidents of verbal of physical abuse."

She said this would lead to better monitoring of incidents.

Mrs Bentley said a lot of the incidents could be traced back to alcohol or drugs.

She added: "I think incidents are going up, but I think we are getting better at reporting them as well."

She also said the new policy helped to clear up any grey areas about what staff should do if there is a violent incident.

Staff now knew to call 999, rather than seek out a higher manager.

"Anybody at that point can get on the phone and call 999," said Mrs Bentley.

And she says there would now be more support.

"They will be supported by the trust and by the police if they do want to take things further."

She added staff would also receive better conflict resolution training.

Diane Whittingham, the trust's chief executive, said: "It is a basic right that our staff should feel safe at work.

"So the message to the public is simple. We do not tolerate any form of violence or aggression against our staff.

"We work very closely with the police to help protect and support our staff and will continue to do so."

Figures from the NHS Security Management Service revealed that 128 people were prosecuted last year for attacking staff in the North-East and Yorkshire.

This was 11 more than in 2004/05.

Nationally, there was a 12% increase in the number of prosecutions, from 759 to 850.

There was a 1,690 fall in the number of assaults.