Improving safety and security at Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust will be the focus of this year’s Security Awareness Month (SAM) in November.
A hospital speciliast in security (Philip Tarling) will be educating doctors, nurses and auxiliary staff about issues such as what to do if they become a victim of violence and what options are available to deal with the minority who choose to abuse NHS staff.
Philip Tarling said: “Here at Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust we are working together during Security Awareness Month to raise awareness and advise our staff so they understand they don’t have to accept such behaviour. We want them to know there are alternatives such as private prosecution, civil action and ASBOs which can be taken out on those who threaten them.”
The security department at the hospital in Winchester works closely with Hampshire Police, together they have devised a scheme for dealing with aggressive and abusive members of the public attending the hospital.
Since April this year security officers have been given power by the police to issue warnings to anyone behaving in an antisocial manner in A&E or any other area of the hospital. If this warning is not heeded the police will be called and they can arrest or fine the individual without any further warning being issued.
Warnings can be issued for anything from swearing and shouting to more violent behaviour and a record will be kept of all warnings issued. These can be referred back to, should there be any further incidents, and used as evidence in Court in the case of prosecution.
CCTV cameras in A&E can also provide further evidence of bad behaviour. Follow up letters will be sent to anyone receiving a warning advising them they could be arrested if another incident occurs and a copy will be sent to their GP.
Steve Brine, Prospective MP for Winchester (pictured on a recent visit to the RHCH with Shadow Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley MP) added;
“Many staff feel alienated when they are physically or verbally abused by patients or their relatives and consider its just part of the job. They feel there is nothing that can be done and it is this which we have to change and a policy of zero tolerance is exactly the right approach."
Chief Executive Martin Wakeley said “We are lucky in Winchester that antisocial or violent behaviour is less frequent than in other parts of the country, we had a total of four violent incidents in the whole of last year, of which all were prosecuted. Nevertheless we need to keep on top of the situation and our close links with the police help us to maintain a zero tolerance policy."