One in four of the staff working for two Cumbrian NHS trusts were last year bullied, harassed, or abused by patients, figures have revealed.

Just days after the Government announced plans to offer better protection to front-line health workers as part of a zero-tolerance policy on violence, figures from a survey of staff at NHS organisations in 2017 across the country have exposed the extent of the problem.

The results show staff at the two key organisations running local health services - the Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs community and mental health services; and North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs major hospitals - have experienced worrying levels of patient abuse.

Some 25 per cent of workers at the Cumbria Partnership Trust reported experiencing bullying, harassment or abuse in 2017. A further 20 per cent said they had been verbally abused or harassed by a fellow member of staff.

About 1,980 employees responded to the survey, which also asked workers about incidents of physical violence at work.

One in eight respondents said that they had experienced physical violence from patients, relatives or members of the public.

It was a similar story at North Cumbria University Hospitals, which manages both The Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, and Whitehaven’s West Cumberland Hospital. One in four staff experienced bullying, harassment or abuse from patients last year.

A further 28 per cent had been verbally abused or harassed by a fellow member of staff.

Around 1,910 employees responded to the survey, which also asked workers about incidents of physical violence at work.

One in six respondents said that they had experienced physical violence from patients, relatives or members of the public.

Last week, the News & Star reported on how over just three hours a Carlisle court was told of 13 separate assaults on NHS workers at The Cumberland Infirmary and at the city’s Carleton Clinic psychiatric facility.

The worst offender - a psychiatric patient who attacked ten healthcare workers - was jailed for 70 days.

The health workers union Unison said that anyone threatening or abusing NHS staff should be prosecuted.

Head of health Sara Gorton said: “No one should be abused, threatened or attacked at work - especially when all they’re trying to do is help people.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said any violence to staff is unacceptable. He has introduced the first NHS Violence Reduction Strategy, designed to prevent attacks and abuse.

“I have made it my personal mission to ensure NHS staff feel safe and secure at work and the new violence reduction strategy will be a key strand of that,” he said.

Mr Hancock added that staff will get better training to deal with violent situations, and there will be mental health support for victims.