ALMOST 200 NHS staff were physically assaulted by patients last year at the trust which runs Basingstoke hospital, figures show.
Statistics provided following a Freedom of Information request reveal that last year 197 staff working for Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust (HHFT) were physically assaulted by a patient.
This represented an increase on the previous year when 168 staff were physically assaulted in 2019.
In 2018 the figure was 200.
Last year, public service union Unison launched a campaign to reduce violence in the NHS.
Nationally, figures show that violent assaults against NHS staff are rising, with around 75,000 people each year experiencing physical violence and aggression from patients, relatives, or the public.