Spain’s public health system reported a total of 18,563 assaults against professionals working within the National Health System during 2025, according to data compiled in the annual report based on information provided by the regional health authorities. This figure represents a rate of 24.37 incidents per 1,000 healthcare professionals, reflecting an 8.74% increase compared to the previous year.
The number of reported incidents grew by 1,493 cases compared with 2024. Despite this rise, the growth rate has slowed when compared with the previous period, when the annual increase exceeded 15%. This indicates a more moderate trend in the number of reported incidents within the healthcare system.
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The health system records more than 18,500 assaults against National Health System professionals in 2025
Most of the incidents correspond to non-physical assaults, including verbal abuse, threats or intimidating behaviour. In 2025, these situations accounted for 84.5% of the reported cases, while physical assaults represented the remaining proportion.
The distribution by healthcare level shows that Primary Care settings account for the highest share of reported incidents, representing 51% of all assaults recorded. Hospital care accounts for 47% of the cases, while pre-hospital emergency services represent a smaller proportion of the total.
From a demographic perspective, women represent the majority of professionals affected by these incidents, accounting for 80% of the reported assaults. Men represent the remaining 20%. This distribution reflects the composition of the healthcare workforce, in which approximately 76% of professionals are women.
Regarding age groups, most assaults involve professionals between 25 and 55 years old. The highest number of incidents occurs among healthcare workers aged between 25 and 35. In terms of professional categories, physicians and nursing staff continue to be the groups most frequently affected, largely due to their continuous and direct interaction with patients and accompanying persons during healthcare delivery.
The report also examines the profile of the aggressors involved in these incidents. In 71% of cases, the aggressor is the patient or service user, while the remaining 29% corresponds to relatives or accompanying individuals. In cases where the aggressor’s gender is identified, men account for 57% of incidents and women for 43%.
Concerning repeat incidents, 53% of the assaults involve individuals with no previous record of aggression towards healthcare staff. However, 27% of aggressors had already been involved in previous incidents, highlighting the presence of recurring violent behaviour directed at healthcare professionals.
The most common reasons behind these incidents are related to dissatisfaction with the care received, which accounts for 29% of cases. This is followed by conflicts linked to patient demands or expectations, representing 28%, and disputes associated with medical or administrative decisions, which account for 15% of the incidents reported.
Most assaults take place in consultation rooms and direct patient care areas, followed by hospital wards and emergency departments. These environments involve frequent interaction between healthcare professionals, patients and accompanying individuals, increasing the likelihood of conflict situations.
The report also indicates that the rise in reported incidents in recent years may be linked to greater awareness among healthcare professionals and improvements in reporting systems within health services.
Health authorities continue to implement prevention protocols, awareness campaigns and incident reporting systems aimed at addressing workplace violence in the healthcare sector. These measures seek to strengthen prevention strategies, improve institutional responses and provide support for professionals affected by such incidents.
In parallel, the draft legislation concerning the framework statute governing statutory health service personnel includes new measures designed to enhance the protection of healthcare professionals. Among these measures is the recognition of healthcare staff as public authority while performing their duties, reinforcing legal protection and promoting respect for their professional role.
Health authorities reaffirm their commitment to a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of violence against healthcare professionals and emphasize the importance of strengthening cooperation between public administrations, health services and security forces in order to guarantee safe healthcare environments.