DOCTORS and nurses should urge assault victims they treat to tell the police, according to a study of Chorley patients by health chiefs.

The sensitive matter of whether health service staff should advise victims to tell the police was tackled by a confidential study.

Research found that 74 per cent of patients at Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital were in favour of Accident and Emergency department staff informing police of an assault while 89 percent of people wanted health carers to encourage victims to tell the police.

Public health experts who conducted the study believe the number of people treated in hospital for injuries sustained in an assault are far greater than those reported to the police.

Dr Andy Howe, who carried out the work for South Lancashire Health Authority, said: "At hospital you get a much more representative picture as many people do not report assault to the police. We found the majority of assaults involve young people and the more deprived area the more assaults there were.

"It is very important to stress that staff are not going to tell police when the patient does not want it to be reported as this may stop people from coming to hospital.

Dr Ayman Jundi, consultant in A and E medicine at the hospital, said: "We were pleased to take part in this study, but also had to be very careful to protect patient confidentiality.

"We see many incidents of violence and abuse in A and E departments.

"It is essential that we do all we can to tackle the problem by working with other organisations such as the police and that we use our resources as effectively as possible for the benefit of the community."