Verbal abuse in the National Health Service: impressions of the prevalence, perceived reasons for and relationships with staff psychological well-being.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence, perceived causes and relationship to psychological well-being of verbal abuse in a National Health Service (NHS) ambulance service control room (ASCR).


METHODS
Questionnaire survey with ASCR personnel (n = 48).


RESULTS
7% of calls per shift were verbally abusive; the most common sources were patients or emergency callers. Verbally abusive calls were associated with staff having poorer mental health and the desire to leave.


CONCLUSIONS
Support from managers in the form of clear protocols to deal with abusive callers and training in verbal de-escalation techniques are recommended.
Sprigg
Christine A
CA
Institute of Work Psychology (IWP), Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 2TN, UK. c.a.sprigg@sheffield.ac.uk
Armitage
Christopher J
CJ
Hollis
Kate
K
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014705:Verbal Behavior