IMAGINE being shouted at, attacked with a bottle or knife, or having a chair or fire extinguisher thrown at you - just for trying to tend to a broken arm.

Unfortunately, these incidents are all too common for staff at the south's hospitals, which recorded a shocking number of verbal and physical assaults in the past year.

It has caused many doctors and nurses to quit their jobs, leaving the NHS short-staffed and unable to treat as many patients, resulting in waiting list figures that are gradually creeping up.

But with your help, the Daily Echo You Can Help Your NHS campaign, which has received the full backing of Prime Minister Tony Blair, can combat crime, cut costs and save the health service £500,000.

Vast amou-nts of money, which should be spent on patient care, are currently being spent on extra security measures to protect staff.

An additional guard has been employed to work from 6pm to 6am at Southampton General Hospital's accident and emergency department because the number of attacks on staff is so high, and the site's £250,000 security system has recently been revamped at a cost of £35,000.

Bosses say an average of two incidents of abuse a day occur, although many cases go unreported.

Terry Morris, security manager for Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, said the level of abuse on staff is frightening.

"We had 31 members of staff injured as a result of abuse and 498 reported incidents of verbal abuse last year. And that's just the reported ones, an awful lot don't get reported.

"What we would ask our patients and visitors to do is treat our staff with respect. The amount of verbal abuse that the staff get is appalling.

"We've had bottles, we've had knives, drumsticks, furniture, fire extinguishers. It's not only accident and emergency, it's all over the hospital, and in the maternity wards as well."

Kathy Lakin, senior sister at the hospital's accident and emergency department, said staff suffered abuse on a regular basis.

"We've all suffered abuse really. There are different kinds of abuse and it depends what's happening in the department at the time as to whether that violence affects you emotionally.

"I was on night duty recently and a patient punched me, but I was so busy I just had to get on with it, I didn't have time to stop and think about it."

Bob Weller, security manager for Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said abuse is also a huge problem at the Queen Alexandra and St Mary's Hospitals.

"For the first three months of this year, the figures reported to security are 25 reports of verbal abuse, 18 assaults and three arrests. Most of those are in the accident and emergency department. It's a huge problem.

The message to the public is to treat hospital staff with respect.

"The less-stressed the doctors and nurses are, the less likely they are to take time off sick or quit their jobs.

The more staff working in the hospital, the more patients can be treated.