A retired health watchdog chief is putting his weight behind a Telegraph & Argus campaign to end violence towards NHS staff.

Labour councillor John Godward today expressed concern at the soaring level of abuse across the district and announced plans to rally the support of Bradford Council to help combat the problem.

He was chief officer at Airedale Community Health Council until the health councils were abolished less than a year ago.

Coun Godward's call comes after the T&A highlighted the alarming rate of violence and aggression in Bradford hospitals, revealing more than 400 cases at Bradford Royal Infirmary and St Luke's Hospital in the past six months.

And at Airedale General Hospital, Steeton, near Keighley, almost 140 incidents were reported last year, doubling the previous rate, according to Coun Godward (Lab, Great Horton).

He said: "These figures are out of all proportion to what they were.

"We used to hear of about 50 cases a year but this really shows it is getting worse.

"We need to get hospital management to support staff and prosecute those responsible."

He called for tougher penalties for those convicted of abusing staff.

"One way to stop this is for magistrates and the judiciary system to give exemplary sentences to anyone convicted," he said. "Sometimes the attitude can be that if you work in an A&E department you can expect this to happen.

"But violence happens all over the hospital and on the wards in particular."

He commended the T&A's campaign calling for greater respect towards NHS staff and announced plans to put a motion forward at the next full Council meeting on Tuesday, October 19, so that all Bradford councillors can back the drive for safer hospitals.

He said: "It is very distressing and frightening for nurses who are abused at work and we need to get the message across that the assault and abuse of NHS staff is a very serious offence."