NHS officials have been urged to take decisive action to stop patients racially abusing and harassing staff.

Ministers have launched a campaign to tackle harassment and to end the notion that it 'goes with the job'.

Guidelines, drawn up between the Department of Health and health service unions, have been sent to NHS managers.

Harassment is unfair, unwarranted and totally unacceptable

Health Minister John Hutton

They outline strategies and advice for dealing with patients who harass staff. It also spells out when officials can take legal action against patients.

The campaign aims to stamp out harassment of staff on a number of grounds, including race, sexual orientation, gender and beliefs.

It follows the government's zero tolerance campaign against violence in the NHS.

Unacceptable

Announcing the campaign, Health Minister John Hutton said: "Harassment is unfair, unwarranted and totally unacceptable. It must be challenged at every stage.

"Staff must be fairly treated and supported and know that their complaints will be taken seriously by employers.

"And action where necessary needs to be taken against the abusers. We must never allow a climate of despair to prevail - a sense that it goes with the job and that nothing can or ever will be done about it.

The campaign aims to boost morale and reduce the number of days staff take off sick because of harassment.

Ministers hope that tackling the problem will help to stop staff from leaving the NHS.

Mr Hutton said: "The campaign will focus on the true cost of harassment. We are all aware that the effects of harassment can be high levels of sickness absence, low morale and deterioration in personal performance.

"Tackling harassment effectively will therefore help boost staff retention, job satisfaction and NHS performance."

Support

The Royal College of Nursing welcomed the move.

A spokeswoman said: "Nurses need to be able to work free from fear and intimidation - no nurse can deliver good patient care if they are experiencing harassment at work.

"Therefore, it is vital that individual nurses feel confident that they will be properly supported when they stand up to unacceptable behaviour. We hope that, with employers working with us, we will see real improvements in nurses' well-being."