UNISON Violence at work 2023 - Find a freedom of information request

Request

(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: Year Number of violent incidents 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22

5) Do you collect equalities data relating to violent incidents towards staff?

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

a) BAME Staff

b) Disabled Staff

c) LGBT+ Staff

d) Women Staff

6) Is advice, support, or counselling available for staff who are victims of violence at work?

7) Of those staff who were victims of violent incidents, how many took up the offer of the following:

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

a) Advice

b) Support

c) Counselling

8) 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

Decision

detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1) Yes

2) Yes.

Providers who deliver services on behalf of the Council are expected to have their own policies relating to Health and Safety in place. These will need to be reviewed and updated as appropriate.

3) Policy scheduled for review in 23/24

4) Number of violent incidents:

2019-20 - 157

2020-21- 119

2021-22 - 79

5) Lincolnshire County Council’s incident recording system doesn’t record equality data.

6) Advice and support is offered by line managers who also have regular supervision meetings with staff. Staff also have support from Mental Health First Aiders and can refer themselves to our in house Employee Support & Counselling Service.

Staff can also be referred by their manager to our Occupational Health service if psychological therapies are required eg for PTSD

7) 2019-20 - 1 member of staff referred to the employee support and counselling service

2020-21 - 0

2021-22 – 0

LCC do not hold information on how many staff obtained advice from their managers

8) No.

Reference number
FOI 6130745
Date request received
14/02/23
Date of decision
21/03/23