A violent visitor has been banned from the hospital

Managers at Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust were granted an interdict against the man, who was visiting his partner at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The case has put the problem of ward rage under the microscope again and prompted a warning from a union leader.

Jim Devine, of the health workers' union Unison, has compiled a dossier of hospital terror.

Our concern is that someone is going to die Jim Devine Unison organiser

Trauma 2003 includes details of nurses being stabbed, head-butted, threatened with guns, suffering death threats and even two cases earlier this year of attempted rape.

Mr Devine said there were "a dozen" instances where staff were spat on every day.

Latest figures for reported cases of abuse in the Grampian area alone stand at 4,500, against 30 in 1992.

Mr Devine, who has drawn up a six-point plan aimed at tackling the problem, said: "Our concern is that someone is going to die. We hope the action we're taking will prevent that.

"Without doubt the problem is on the increase. I'm sorry to say that some people seem to think that physical and verbal abuse against health service workers is fair game.

"In crude terms, we are trying to separate the mad from the bad. We need a Scottish Executive-led campaign to make the point it is not acceptable. "

Mr Devine said he feared a blame culture in the NHS was preventing nurses from coming forward to reveal attacks.

'Extreme measure'

"Not enough nurses are reporting the problems. They fear it may reflect badly on the way they managed the case."

He praised the legal action to ban the violent visitor from hospital, insisting: "It was an extreme measure, but by the same token we think the trust has done a great job in sending out the message that if people abuse staff, action will be taken."

Health chiefs have not released details of the abuse levelled at staff by the banned visitor.

However, a spokeswoman said: "It was enough to result in an interdict being taken out. It warranted the action that was taken."

Dianne Roberts, of the trust's Risk Management Team, said: "NHS Grampian were successfully awarded an interim interdict against an individual who had been persistently abusive to staff within a hospital in Grampian.