Attacks on hospital workers in Brighton, Hove and Mid Sussex have soared in the past year.

A National Audit Office (NAO) study released today shows reports of violence against staff has gone up nationally by 13 per cent in the last two years.

But the number of cases at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust is much higher.

In the nine months between April and December last year there were 118 physical assaults on hospital staff, compared to 98 for the whole of the previous year.

The overall number of violent incidents, which includes threats and verbal abuse, stands at 900 for April to December and 1,002 for the year before.

Most incidents are against nurses and other front-line medical staff.

The NAO report found nurses were up to four times more likely than other employees to experience violence and aggression.

Others at risk were staff in ambulance services, accident and emergency departments and acute mental health units.

A Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals spokesman said: "We take all cases very seriously and urge staff to report every case. That way we can build up an accurate picture of what is happening and try to find ways of dealing with it.

"We have a zero tolerance approach to this and will support any member of staff if they wish to prosecute.

"We do not believe staff should have to deal with this type of behaviour at work."

Hospital bosses have stepped up security with closer links between security staff and accident and emergency workers.

There has also been improved staff training.

A CCTV link has also been established between Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and the nearby John Street police station.

Trust bosses say while hospitals can be particularly stressful places and tensions can run high, this does not justify attacks on staff.

New schemes have also been brought in to cut down on the number of attacks on doctors and nurses at GP surgeries.

Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust has brought in a new system where violent patients get their cards marked.

Staff are able to learn whether a patient has a history of aggression because a note will be made on their records.

If a patient is violent in a particular practice, other practices and health and social care professionals are made aware.

Head of the NAO Sir John Bourn said good progress had been made to protect NHS staff from violence.

But he said trusts must do more to assess risks, train staff, follow up incidents and set up partnerships with agencies such as the police.