RECORDED attacks on hospital staff doubled in the first quarter of this year, according to figures from one of the region's largest NHS trusts.

While the 1,000-bed County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust saw a big increase in what is described as "physical abuse" directed at its staff, officials said that this is mostly due to improved reporting and the inclusion of minor assaults.

Records show that between 22 and 26 incidents of physical abuse were directed at staff between April and December last year.

This jumped to 52 between January and March, with the biggest increases at Darlington Memorial Hospital (up from ten to 20) and Bishop Auckland General Hospital (up from six to 18). Incidents at the University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham City, went up from ten to 11.

Members of the trust board will be told today that there are two main reasons for the increase.

Firstly, a system of registering all physical abuse incidents, even minor assaults, has been extended to the entire trust.

Secondly, a risk management campaign to raise awareness about reporting incidents, which has included the installation of a 24-hour dedicated phone line, has proved very successful.

As part of efforts to improve security throughout the trust, "staff attack systems" have been extended to the accident and emergency department at the Durham hospital and much of Shotley Bridge Hospital.

Panic buttons have been fitted to all wards at the Darlington hospital, and rules have been changed, which mean that staff now ring for police assistance if they anticipate violence or aggression instead of waiting until an assault takes place.

During the past financial year, there were a total of 126 incidents of physical abuse and 375 of verbal abuse.