Nearly a quarter of NHS staff working for Lambeth Primary Care Trust (PCT) have experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from colleagues in the past year, according to a recent survey.

The annual National NHS Staff Survey, which was carried out by independent watchdog the Healthcare Commission and was released yesterday, reported that 24 per cent felt they had been targeted by colleagues and managers.

It also showed that 70 per cent of the trust's employees work extra hours and 39 per cent had suffered work-related stress.

The PCT had among the lowest availability of hand washing machines out of all the trusts in England and only 47 per cent of workers had received any health and safety training in the last 12 months, according to the report.

It also stated that 6 per cent of staff experienced physical violence from patients, service users and their relatives in the past year. Sixteen per cent said they felt they had been harassed, bullied or abused by them.

Answers compiled in the document also revealed staff job satisfaction in the trust was among the lowest in the country.

The report asked workers, including nurses, managers and social care staff, for their views and experiences of working for Lambeth PCT. The survey was completed by 311 NHS staff at the trust.

Anna Walker, the Healthcare Commission's chief executive, said: "As one of the largest employers in the world, the NHS needs to be aware of and responsive to how staff are coping.

"Each trust is a unique working environment and local results highlight the challenges particular to each of them. At a national level, the survey results must be used to drive continual improvement in the working lives of thousands of NHS workers.

And Karen Jennings, head of health at public workers' union Unison, called on the NHS to make sure employees felt safe at work.

She said: "The number of staff reporting physical violence and harassment remains depressingly high."

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