NHS medics were awarded almost £5million compensation in a year after being punched, kicked and even knifed, figures show.
A total of 213 claims by doctors and nurses were settled in the 12 months to last March.
Another £3.8million was spent on legal fees and claim costs, figures obtained by The Sun on Sunday reveal today.
It took the total NHS staff assault claims cost to £36.7million in five years, with more than 1,000 getting payouts.
The figures come after nurse Meg Lynch said she was “lucky to be alive” after being hit with a crowbar last month at a hospital in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside.
Claims are settled by taxpayer-funded body NHS Resolution, which mediates medical negligence cases.
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Medical solicitor John McQuater said hospitals were getting increasingly dangerous for staff.
He said: “Where there’s liability for damages it shows attacks could have been avoided — and that would be better for staff, patients, and the public because it would avoid spending millions in payouts.”
Prof Nicola Ranger, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “The Government must do more to reduce levels of violence nursing staff face daily by cutting the long waits, which often trigger attacks.”