I watched the program, and i tend to agree with the most of the conclusions drawn. For us however zero tolerance means very little indeed. The police (whether their hands are tied, or a lack of interest) tend to actually do very little when they are called. I know of staff that have had cases dropped by the CPS. However our trust (or previous trust) seem to want to do very little under the zero tolerance, w fill in the forms and nothing ever gets done. For years a patent with epilepsy assualted staff who would attend afer they had suffered a "seizure", they would not hit any bystanders, police officers, only ambulance staff. This aggression was blamed on his disorientation after the "seizure". One day the pt was reviewed by a new dr who refused to accept that the "seizures" were a factor in the assaults on staff. He was told about this, and guess what? Since this time we have been to them a few times but no further assaults have been committed, if i was cynical it might be to say that the knowledge that not being able to use the medical condition to hide the pt from possible prosecution has meant that behaviour has been adapted. In addition to the above, I can agree with Tom you can't blame patients whose conditions modify their behaviour. One of the most violent physical assults (and thankfully it hasn't happened much) was from an elderly patient with dementia. What has a greater effect on me is the threats, you never ever know who will or wont follow it through. This is half the problem and what the public just do not seem to realise...I don't and will not put myself in the postion where i stay there long enough to find out. People who work in industry and private sector areas do not have to put up with the abuse as they are able to say no thanks. To finish this post I have to leave with my pet hate: the people who sit there and abuse/threaten me, then laugh because I "have to treat them" because they pay my wages and i am a public servant grrrr!!