ATTACKS on NHS staff are increasing at health trusts throughout the district, shocking new figures reveal.

Staff who provide mental health and learning disabilities services in Keighley and Bradford saw attacks rise by a staggering 131 per cent from 2012/13 to 2013/14.

Bradford District Care Trust blamed the massive rise on the fact it was supporting a growing number of people with challenging behaviours.

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust saw a more modest rise of four per cent. Assaults on staff at the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust also saw a sharp rise of 69 per cent.

Across England, the number of reported assaults nationwide rose from 63,199 to 68,683 in the year to April, an increase of 8.7 per cent, according to data published by NHS Protect.

At the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Airedale General Hospital in Steeton, the number of assaults increased by two, from 47 to 49, between 2012/13 and 2013/14.

Stacey Hunter, director of operations for the trust, said: “Although the increase in the number of reported assaults on staff during the past year has been slight, we are not complacent.

“Our new emergency department has a procedure that enables the whole area to be locked down from the rest of the hospital in case of any incident.”

At Bradford District Care Trust, which provides mental health and learning disabilities services across the district, attacks had dropped from 802 in 20011/12 to 399 in 2012/13, but the figure rose dramatically in 2013/14 to a total of 921.

Nicola Lees, deputy chief executive and director of nursing at the trust, said: “The rise in the number of incidents is due to an increase in the number of people we supported during the past year with challenging behaviours.

“The safety of staff and patients is a priority, and staff are encouraged to report all types of incidents no matter how minor they feel they are. The majority of these incidents were minor, such as a push.”

UNISON officials said the fact the number of assaults was rising year-on-year should “ring alarm bells”.

Gary Cleaver, regional organiser for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “The figures are absolutely shocking, particularly those within Bradford District Care Trust, where the figure has more than doubled.”

Janet Davies, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “Sadly, our experience suggests the reported assaults may be the tip of an even larger iceberg.”