New figures reveal that there were on average 22 cases of violence or aggression against NHS staff in Wales every day over the course of a year.
A report published by the Wales Audit Office reveals the extent of the problem which it estimates to cost tax payers £6 million a year when taking into account staff replacement, legal bills, training and security.
'Protecting NHS Trust Staff from Violence and Aggression' is the first all-Wales data on the number of incidents of violence and aggression reported in the financial years between 2001/02 and 2003/04 - the year in which, on average, 22 incidents were reported against staff every day.
The report concentrated on violence against staff from the 15 Welsh NHS Trusts by people from outside the health sector, such as patients or their relatives.
The study found that nurses, midwives and health visitors are most likely to be victims of aggression. There are also a high number of incidents in the mental health, general health and learning disabilities sector.
Case studies in the report included a patient throwing a fire extinguisher at hospital staff and an attempted mugging of a district nurse while on a house call.
Jeremy Colman, the Auditor General for Wales, admitted the problem could be much worse because of the under-reporting of violence and aggression.
He also said there was not "sufficiently robust" systems in place in previous years to record the data - therefore making it impossible to judge accurately whether the levels of violence or aggression were on the increase.
Mr Colman said: "The aim of the report was to ask whether the authorities have a grip on the situation. The fact that we cannot answer the question (whether violence is increasing) is significant in that respect because there is not a grip on the situation. "
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A report published by the Wales Audit Office reveals the extent of the problem which it estimates to cost tax payers £6 million a year when taking into account staff replacement, legal bills, training and security.
'Protecting NHS Trust Staff from Violence and Aggression' is the first all-Wales data on the number of incidents of violence and aggression reported in the financial years between 2001/02 and 2003/04 - the year in which, on average, 22 incidents were reported against staff every day.
The report concentrated on violence against staff from the 15 Welsh NHS Trusts by people from outside the health sector, such as patients or their relatives.
The study found that nurses, midwives and health visitors are most likely to be victims of aggression. There are also a high number of incidents in the mental health, general health and learning disabilities sector.
Case studies in the report included a patient throwing a fire extinguisher at hospital staff and an attempted mugging of a district nurse while on a house call.
Jeremy Colman, the Auditor General for Wales, admitted the problem could be much worse because of the under-reporting of violence and aggression.
He also said there was not "sufficiently robust" systems in place in previous years to record the data - therefore making it impossible to judge accurately whether the levels of violence or aggression were on the increase.
Mr Colman said: "The aim of the report was to ask whether the authorities have a grip on the situation. The fact that we cannot answer the question (whether violence is increasing) is significant in that respect because there is not a grip on the situation. "
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