Violence against NHS staff was in the spotlight yesterday as it was announced that the police may be given new powers.

As part of the Government's Respect Action Plan, Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Health, is considering a new offence of obstructing the progress of ambulance workers at emergencies.

This would complement existing offences that deal with the obstruction of police and fire officers.

Mrs Hewitt met accident and emergency staff at Kings College Hospital, London, to discuss abuse and how the hospital is tackling the issue.

She said: "It is wholly unacceptable that a minority of people, often under the influence of drink and drugs, abuse or attack NHS staff.

"We've taken tough action to reduce abuse and the result has been a 15-fold increase in prosecutions against those who assault NHS staff.

"During 2004/05 there were 759 prosecutions compared to 51 cases identified in 2002/03."

The news was welcomed by local hospital bosses who have been working with the Telegraph & Argus in our End the Abuse campaign.

A spokesman for the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages Bradford Royal Infirmary and St Luke's, welcomed the Government's tough stance.

"Any initiative which further protects our staff from physical and verbal abuse by patients and visitors gains our full support," he said.

"It firmly puts the spotlight on the need for people using our hospitals to behave more responsibly and show more respect. It also leaves them in no doubt that they risk suffering the consequences in front of the courts if they do not.

"This national initiative can only strengthen the local campaign that the local NHS, the police, the courts and the T&A launched last year to drive home the message that abusive or aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated."

The T&A launched the campaign after more than 400 staff at Bradford Royal Infirmary and St Luke's suffered violence or aggression at the hands of patients or their families in the first six months of 2004.

Posters have been placed in hospitals warning patients and visitors violence and abuse will not be tolerated.

Karon Snape, assistant director of non-clinical support services at Bradford Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said there had been successful prosecutions, including a patient being jailed for nine months after attacking a nurse.

The Trust has introduced police patrols around the hospital wards.