Violence at work (Unitary Councils)
Case reference FOI2023/00297
Published 10 March 2023
Request
I am writing to make a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Please note: This FOI request refers to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) definition of violence at work https://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/index.htm:
"Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. This can include verbal abuse or threats as well as physical attacks."
1. Do you have a policy/policies in place to protect staff from violence at work?
2. Are these policies built into the commissioning process for organisations delivering outsourced services on your behalf?
3. Have you updated your violence at work policies to reflect the increased number of home, remote and flexible workers?
4. If you collect data on violent incidents, how many violent incidents towards staff did you record in the following years:
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
5. Do you collect equalities data relating to violent incidents towards staff?
6. If so, how many violent incidents did you record for each of the following groups over the following years:
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
BAME Staff
Disabled Staff
LGBT+ Staff
Women Staff
7. Is advice, support, or counselling available for staff who are victims of violence at work?
8. Of those staff who were victims of violent incidents, how many took up the offer of the following:
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
Advice
Support
Counselling
9. Are you signed up to UNISON's End Violence at Work Charter: www.unison.org.uk/at-work/local-government/end-violence-at-work-charter<http://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/local-government/end-violence-at-work-charter>
Response
I am writing to make a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Please note: This FOI request refers to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) definition of violence at work https://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/index.htm:
"Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. This can include verbal abuse or threats as well as physical attacks."
1. Do you have a policy/policies in place to protect staff from violence at work?
Yes.
2. Are these policies built into the commissioning process for organisations delivering outsourced services on your behalf?
We request that organisations tendering for contracts have appropriate Safeguarding and Health and Safety policies in place.
3. Have you updated your violence at work policies to reflect the increased number of home, remote and flexible workers?
Our procedures and policies are reviewed at least annually or sooner if there is a significant change in process.
4. If you collect data on violent incidents, how many violent incidents towards staff did you record in the following years:
Year Number of violent incidents (this is excluding schools data)
2019 - 27 reported
2020 - 12 reported
2021 - 21 reported
2022 - 17 reported
5. Do you collect equalities data relating to violent incidents towards staff?
No, we are not collating equalities data relating to violent incidents.
6. If so, how many violent incidents did you record for each of the following groups over the following years:
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
BAME Staff
Disabled Staff
LGBT+ Staff
Women Staff
N/A
7. Is advice, support, or counselling available for staff who are victims of violence at work?
Yes, we have a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and there is also Occupational Health if needed.
8. Of those staff who were victims of violent incidents, how many took up the offer of the following:
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
Advice
Support
Counselling
We do not hold this information as we do not keep a record the number of occupational health referrals and the reasons for the referrals.
9. Are you signed up to UNISON's End Violence at Work Charter: www.unison.org.uk/at-work/local-government/end-violence-at-work-charter<http://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/local-government/end-violence-at-work-charter>
No, Herefordshire Council is not signed up to that Charter however the Council does work closely with Unison.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.