To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many physical assaults against staff of ambulance trusts serving the South East Region were reported in each county in each of the last three years. (304757)

The information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Since 2004-05, the number of physical assaults against staff reported by national health service bodies in England has been collected annually by the NHS Security Management Service (SMS).

The numbers of physical assaults against NHS staff reported by the South Central Ambulance Service NHS trust and the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS trust in the years 2006-07 to 2008-09 are shown in the following table.

The NHS SMS can assist employers through guidance on assessing risks and acting to protect staff from assaults and, where incidents do occur, on taking action against offenders. The NHS SMS also works with stakeholders, including the Social Partnership Forum, to promote the safety and security of NHS staff.