NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde staff face more than 350 verbal and physical assaults on average every month, an official revealed.

Frontline staff in the local authority are facing on average 354 violent and aggressive incidents and threats from the public every month.

Between January 2021 and July 2021 staff across the health board were subjected to 2,479 assaults and threats, with almost 100 attacks following in the first eight days of August.

Dr Scott Davidson, NHSGGC’s deputy medical director for acute services, said: “While we understand the pressures the pandemic continues to bring to us all, we cannot have visitors or those attending hospital for treatment showing such a lack of respect towards our staff.

“Covid has had a massive impact on our clinical teams, who continue to provide an exceptional level of vital care and support to patients and their loved ones during such a challenging time.

“As we continue to battle the pandemic, manage emergency departments, continue care in other areas and prepare for winter, our staff should not have to come to work fearing that they will be subjected to violence and threats.

“We would like to thank the thousands of people who use our services and treat our exceptional staff with the respect they deserve. We urge the minority who behave in an aggressive or violent way to do the same.”