ALMOST three assaults are recorded every day in the Borders against NHS staff.

Figures released under Freedom of Information show that a total of 937 incidents of assault happened for a 12-month period up to the start of last August.

Nurses and midwives, doctors, specialists, porters, health visitors, managers and even catering staff have all come in for some form of physical or verbal attack.

Car Parking attendants, clerical workers and security staff were also on the receiving end.

Exactly 500 physical attacks by patients were recorded between August 1, 2016 and July 31, 2017.

And Alcohol-related aggression and violence was recorded 47 times.

There were 263 instances of verbal aggression by patients and 67 acts of verbal abuse by 'others'.

Bosses at NHS Borders investigate every attack on a staff member, and they also offer support to each victim.

A spokeswoman told us: "NHS Borders staff have a right to be able to perform their duties without fear of aggressive, abusive or violent acts.

"Whenever an incident of assault occurs, it is recorded and fully investigated.

"Staff affected by assaults are given appropriate support but quite frankly it is just unacceptable that this can happen to people trying to help and working in the NHS or anywhere.”

Of the 937 incidents recorded during the 12 months, 333 happened within mental health units, 348 in primary, acute and community departments, and 68 were in the region's community hospitals.