Debate on e-petition 176138 relating to attacks on NHS medical staff
This Commons Library debate pack has been prepared in advance of a debate on e-petition 176138 relating to attacks on NHS medical staff.
On Monday 27 February 2017, at 4.30pm, Oliver Dowden MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, will lead a debate in Westminster Hall on the motion "That this House has considered e-petition 176138 relating to attacks on NHS medical staff."
The petition, which calls to "Make it a specific criminal offence to attack any member of NHS Medical Staff", has received more than 116,000 signatures.
Figures released by NHS Protect show that there were 70,555 assaults on NHS staff in 2015/16, compared to 67,864 in 2014/15. NHS Protect has published tables showing these figures, broken down by NHS sector and individual health bodies for each year back to 2004/05.