ASSAULTS on NHS staff on the Isle of Wight have fallen.
Isle of Wight NHS Trust said there had been a nine per cent drop in the number of physical attacks on its staff during 2015/16, compared with the previous year.
The trust said 80 of the 82 assaults were the result of the medical condition of the patient involved.
Connie Wendes, assistant director responsible for health and safety and security, said it was encouraging to see the fall given the tremendous pressure on services and a national rise in assaults.
But she said the trust was not complacent: "Any attack against NHS staff should be, and is, taken extremely seriously. The trust does not tolerate violent or abusive behaviour towards its staff and each incident will be reported and acted on.
"Two criminal offences prosecuted by the trust this year were successful in ensuring that there is a zero tolerance to criminal activity."
She added: "We are working hard to improve care plans, particularly for those living with dementia, to try and reduce the circumstances that result in attacks."
In a bid to reduce the number of attacks on staff, more than 1,500 have had training in skills including conflict resolution, breakaway and physical intervention.