MKUH Launches Operation Cavell To Protect Staff from Violence and Abuse

Date: 04/08/2025

Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) is taking decisive action to tackle violence and abuse against its staff by partnering with Thames Valley Police to bring a national campaign to the city’s hospital.

Known as ‘Operation Cavell’, the campaign sees the local NHS Trust, police force and the Crown Prosecution Service come together to strengthen protections for NHS staff, improve conviction rates and support victims.  As a result of this closer collaboration, every incident of assault or hate crime against MKUH staff will be reviewed by senior police officers, and dedicated investigators with an understanding of healthcare environments will review cases.

The co-ordinated approach is designed to send a clear message that violence and abuse against MKUH staff is taken seriously and never tolerated as ‘part of the job’.

National data shows a rising trend for violence and abuse against healthcare workers, with 1 in 7 reporting physical violence from patients, relatives or the public in 2024.

Commenting on the launch of Operation Cavell, Kate Jarman, Chief Corporate Services Officer at MKUH, said: “We want to reverse the worrying trend of violence and abuse against Trust staff and prevent it from happening in the first place. Our staff come to work to improve the lives of others, and they should expect their place of work to be safe.

“Launching Operation Cavell strengthens our commitment to the wellbeing of every colleague and aims to inspire staff to have confidence in reporting every incident. We are grateful to Thames Valley Police for standing with us and reinforcing their support for tackling this really serious issue.”

Inspector Shay Harper from Thames Valley Police, said: “We want to actively encourage MKUH staff to report incidents and feel safe in the knowledge that we will take action. Crimes against our hardworking NHS colleagues take many forms, including verbal abuse and serious physical violence. Operation Cavell will underscore our commitment to bringing offenders to justice and remind the public of their obligations to our much-valued healthcare workers.”