Wiltshire Police and staff at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have been shortlisted for a national award recognising their joint efforts to tackle violence against NHS workers.
PC Rebecca Berni and colleagues from the trust were named finalists in the Outstanding Partnership category at the Workplace Violence Reduction Awards. The winners were announced at a ceremony held on Wednesday 29th April at the Birmingham Metropole Hotel.
The nomination highlights a training programme developed under the “Never OK” campaign, which aims to challenge the normalisation of abuse towards healthcare staff and improve support for those experiencing violence, harassment or discrimination at work.
As part of the initiative, officers from Wiltshire Police engaged with more than 600 hospital staff to better understand the scale and nature of abuse faced by frontline workers.
PC Berni said many staff reported feeling expected to tolerate verbal aggression and physical violence, with some describing incidents including strangulation, stabbing and being knocked unconscious.
She said: “We wanted to really listen to staff about the problems they are facing. Many told us they feel expected to tolerate verbal aggression, physical violence and, in some cases, sexual assault.
“These are victims, and they deserve recognition and support. When staff feel protected, valued and safe, hospitals can be the safe and compassionate environments they are meant to be — for everyone.”
The training programme helps staff identify criminal behaviour, understand how to report incidents and access support.
PC Berni added that the focus is not on criminalising patients who lack capacity, but on ensuring victims are properly supported and that reporting systems are improved.
She said the work has already helped staff feel more confident in recognising offences and challenging unacceptable behaviour.
Anyone who has witnessed or been the victim of a crime is encouraged to report it by calling 101 or via the Wiltshire Police website. In an emergency, always call 999.
