HEALTH service staff in Dorset are still working long hours and having to face violence, bullying and harassment from patients and their relatives, a report has revealed.

Results of the latest annual Healthcare Commission staff survey show that while most have high levels of job satisfaction, the number of attacks remains high.

Three-quarters of staff at Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust and 72 per cent at Dorset HealthCare Trust said they worked longer than their contracted hours in an average week, placing both in the highest fifth of similar trusts.

Sixteen per cent of staff at Poole Hospital; 14 per cent at the RBH and Christchurch; and 27 per cent at Dorset HealthCare had experienced physical violence from patients or relatives in the previous 12 months.

At Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals, almost a quarter of staff had experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from patients, service users or their relatives. Poole's figure of 22 per cent was a seven per cent improvement on 2006.

More than a quarter of ambulance staff have experienced physical violence and 42 per cent harassment, bullying or abuse from patients or relatives.

Speaking on behalf of the South Western Ambulance Servive NHS Trust, Lynne Paramor said the trust had worked with the police to teach staff how to defuse situations, but she added: "One assault is one too many. It's outrageous that our staff are attacked when they are trying to save lives."

Poole Hospital spokeswoman Pauline Malins said the trust had seen improvements in 19 areas, with 14 of those rated "significant".

Karen Allman, director of human resources at the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals, said: "There are areas we need to improve on and an action plan will be developed."