AQW 35181/22-27


Mrs Diane Dodds
Democratic Unionist Party
Upper Bann


Tabled Date: 11/11/2025
Answered On Date: 09/04/2026
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the instances of (i) physical; and (ii) verbal abuse, against health and social care staff, in each of the last five years, broken down by site.


Revised Answer:
The instances of physical and verbal abuse against health and social care staff in each of the last five years, broken down by site are shown in the tables below:
Please note: The information in the tables below was requested from and provided by the Trusts for the purpose of this response.
Incidents of Physical Abuse
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
BHSCT
Belfast City Hospital
642
453
764
687
751
3297
BHSCT
Forster Green
198
505
345
453
203
1704
BHSCT
Knockbracken Healthcare Park
413
268
319
411
500
1911
BHSCT
Mater Hospital
40
72
81
108
227
528
BHSCT
Muckamore Abbey Hospital
1800
1665
1082
751
193
5491
BHSCT
Musgrave Park Hospital
55
69
56
95
109
384
BHSCT
Royal Group of Hospitals
233
230
219
284
292
1258
BHSCT
Other**
1263
1078
1769
1505
1535
7150
BHSCT
Total
4644
4340
4635
4294
3810
21723
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
NHSCT
Antrim Area Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
967
NHSCT
Causeway Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
593
NHSCT
Dalriada Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
49
NHSCT
Holywell Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
3549
NHSCT
Mid Ulster Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
55
NHSCT
Moyle Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
21
NHSCT
Robinson Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
56
NHSCT
Whiteabbey Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
24
NHSCT
Other**
*
*
*
*
*
3018
NHSCT
Total
1510
1541
1405
1784
2092
8332
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
NIAS
Total***
340
391
381
457
367
1936
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
SEHSCT
Downe/Downshire Hospital
243
534
551
471
353
2152
SEHSCT
Lagan Valley Hospital
126
165
134
191
216
832
SEHSCT
Ulster Hospital
156
167
211
260
307
1101
SEHSCT
Other**
802
678
1014
1132
1622
5248
SEHSCT
Total
1327
1544
1910
2054
2498
9333
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
SHSCT
Craigavon Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
5501
SHSCT
Daisy Hill Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
407
SHSCT
Lurgan Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
343
SHSCT
South Tyrone Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
165
SHSCT
St Lukes Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
222
SHSCT
Other**
*
*
*
*
*
3527
SHSCT
Total
1571
1688
1800
2337
2769
10165
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
WHSCT
Altnagelvin Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
572
WHSCT
Grangewood
*
*
*
*
*
535
WHSCT
Lakeview Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
1379
WHSCT
Omagh Hospital & Primary Care Centre
*
*
*
*
*
85
WHSCT
South West Acute Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
813
WHSCT
Tyrone & Fermanagh Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
751
WHSCT
Waterside Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
1317
WHSCT
Other**
*
*
*
*
*
2451
WHSCT
Total
1469
1689
1575
1401
1769
7903
Incidents of Verbal Abuse
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
BHSCT
Belfast City Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
700
BHSCT
Forster Green
*
*
*
*
*
221
BHSCT
Knockbracken Healthcare Park
*
*
*
*
*
730
BHSCT
Mater Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
63
BHSCT
Muckamore Abbey Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
98
BHSCT
Musgrave Park Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
76
BHSCT
Royal Group of Hospitals
*
*
*
*
*
458
BHSCT
Other**
*
*
*
*
*
990
BHSCT
Total
552
617
734
677
756
3336
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
NHSCT
Antrim Area Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
306
NHSCT
Causeway Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
188
NHSCT
Dalriada Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
16
NHSCT
Holywell Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
385
NHSCT
Mid Ulster Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
25
NHSCT
Moyle Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
<5
NHSCT
Robinson Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
<5
NHSCT
Whiteabbey Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
45
NHSCT
Other**
*
*
*
*
*
1321
NHSCT
Total
421
494
372
503
504
2294
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
NIAS
Total***
271
303
274
265
230
1343
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
SEHSCT
Downe/Downshire Hospital
57
60
47
57
64
285
SEHSCT
Lagan Valley Hospital
14
19
30
65
77
205
SEHSCT
Ulster Hospital
36
63
68
167
140
474
SEHSCT
Other**
75
79
91
134
229
608
SEHSCT
Total
182
221
236
423
510
1572
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
SHSCT
Craigavon Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
1068
SHSCT
Daisy Hill Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
101
SHSCT
Lurgan Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
75
SHSCT
South Tyrone Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
47
SHSCT
St Lukes Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
45
SHSCT
Other**
*
*
*
*
*
1147
SHSCT
Total
379
395
487
688
534
2483
Trust
Site
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
Total
WHSCT
Altnagelvin Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
292
WHSCT
Grangewood
*
*
*
*
*
121
WHSCT
Lakeview Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
36
WHSCT
Omagh Hospital & Primary Care Centre
*
*
*
*
*
85
WHSCT
South West Acute Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
267
WHSCT
Tyrone & Fermanagh Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
138
WHSCT
Waterside Hospital
*
*
*
*
*
39
WHSCT
Other**
*
*
*
*
*
647
WHSCT
Total
352
265
296
322
390
1625
* Where a site has a figure of 10 or lower in any instance, all other figures except totals have been omitted to minimise the risk of individuals being identified.
**Other includes smaller sites, community locations etc.
*** for NIAS it is not possible to provide figures by specific sites/locations.