CASUALTY staff in Worcester have been told by the Home Secretary they must report the "shameful" violent crimes against them to police.

Staff at Worcestershire's three main hospitals, including the Worcestershire Royal in Newtown Road, Worcester, generally report violent attacks against doctors and nurses as a matter of policy.

However, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has called for medical staff across the country to do so automatically. The figures for January 1 last year to now show there were 12 physical assaults across the three hospitals managed by the trust - eight at Worcestershire Royal, three at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and one at Kidderminster Hospital.

There were 23 non-physical assaults (verbal threats) across all three hospitals - eight at Worcestershire Royal, three at the Alexandra and none at Kidderminster.

Mike Foster, Labour MP for Worcester, said it was vital staff report attacks as soon as they happen, whether they are verbal or physical, and said the attitude of hospital bosses must be one of "zero tolerance".

A spokesman for the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: "Generally speaking staff working in the A&E/MIU departments across the trust already alert the police if they are in any way threatened."

The Home Secretary, who is also MP for Redditch where the Alexandra is based, said the plan was designed to cut shootings, stabbings and assaults after attacks fell by a third when the system was used in Cardiff.

Mr Foster has experienced first hand the problems nursing staff face on a busy Friday night in A&E.

He said: "I have been at the A&E and the medical assessment unit to look at the type of drink-fuelled patients they get. Being drunk does not excuse violent behaviour towards nurses and doctors."

Mr Foster has discussed with the acute trust in the past about the possibility of an increased police presence or security staff at the Worcestershire Royal to reduce assaults.

He said although assaults in Worcestershire were lower than in many other parts of the country, one assault against staff was too many.

He added: "One act of aggression, be it verbal or physical, to a member of the medical at a hospital is absolutely and totally out of order. Anybody who can turn on people in our health services who are there to help us quite frankly are a disgrace to society and should be ashamed of themselves."