Respect our staff and patients

There's no excuse for abuse

Anyone working in the NHS, receiving NHS treatment or visiting NHS premises has the right to feel safe and secure from violence and abuse, both physical and verbal.

At East Kent Hospitals we have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of any kind. Persistent offenders also face sanction under the Trust’s procedures, which include giving someone a yellow card warning after an incident. This involves a formal written warning alerting them to the consequences of their behaviour – which in the case of repeated offenders or those who are violent can mean they are banned from all Trust sites unless they need emergency, life-saving treatment.

The zero-tolerance policy applies to patients, visitors and relatives in all hospitals or services operated by the Trust.