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Police night guard scheme for A&E Police night guard scheme for A&E
(about 2 hours later)
Police are to be deployed at a hospital accident and emergency unit in Northern Ireland for the first time.Police are to be deployed at a hospital accident and emergency unit in Northern Ireland for the first time.
The three-month pilot scheme will see two uniformed police officers based at Belfast City Hospital during "hot-spot" times to tackle attacks on staff.The three-month pilot scheme will see two uniformed police officers based at Belfast City Hospital during "hot-spot" times to tackle attacks on staff.
The officers will be on duty on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, between 2200 and 0300 GMT. The armed officers will be on duty on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, between 2200 and 0300 GMT.
If successful, the scheme will be introduced in other hospitals across Northern Ireland.If successful, the scheme will be introduced in other hospitals across Northern Ireland.
Health minister Paul Goggins said there was evidence that trusts which take a zero tolerance approach have fewer attacks.Health minister Paul Goggins said there was evidence that trusts which take a zero tolerance approach have fewer attacks.
"There have been over 2,200 physical assaults and around 1,000 verbal attacks on healthcare staff, in the last six months alone, in Northern Ireland," he said."There have been over 2,200 physical assaults and around 1,000 verbal attacks on healthcare staff, in the last six months alone, in Northern Ireland," he said.
"We need to give frontline staff the protection they deserve and I believe the visible presence of uniformed police officers, who can witness, report and deal with any assaults, will help do that.""We need to give frontline staff the protection they deserve and I believe the visible presence of uniformed police officers, who can witness, report and deal with any assaults, will help do that."
Mr Goggins said he had consulted the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and other relevant trade unions before developing a series of proposed actions:Mr Goggins said he had consulted the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and other relevant trade unions before developing a series of proposed actions:
  • Development of a zero tolerance policy to ensure robust measures are in place;
  • Asking trust chief executives to give a senior member of staff the responsibility for staff safety;
  • Ensuring that all incidents are reported;
  • Ensuring staff are supported in taking action against attackers;
  • Making sure staff are properly trained and equipped to handle such situations;
  • Identifying "hot-spot" areas and trends to ensure appropriate measures are taken to minimise risk;
  • Raising awareness among the general public that there is zero tolerance towards such attacks;
  • Looking at the feasibility of keeping a register of those who perpetrate attacks;
  • Investigating the possibility of introducing on the spot fines for those who engage in anti-social behaviour on hospital premises.
  • Development of a zero tolerance policy to ensure robust measures are in place;
  • Asking trust chief executives to give a senior member of staff the responsibility for staff safety;
  • Ensuring that all incidents are reported;
  • Ensuring staff are supported in taking action against attackers;
  • Making sure staff are properly trained and equipped to handle such situations;
  • Identifying "hot-spot" areas and trends to ensure appropriate measures are taken to minimise risk;
  • Raising awareness among the general public that there is zero tolerance towards such attacks;
  • Looking at the feasibility of keeping a register of those who perpetrate attacks;
  • Investigating the possibility of introducing on the spot fines for those who engage in anti-social behaviour on hospital premises.
Geraldine Bryers, a lead nurse at the City Hospital, said: "I have worked in Accident & Emergency for 17 years and I have been attacked on a number of occasions.
The three-month pilot scheme will take place at Belfast City Hospital"I know from personal experience how traumatic it can be. Sometimes it is not only physical abuse, sometimes verbal abuse to staff can be extremely upsetting and traumatic."
The British Medical Association's Northern Ireland chairman, Dr Brian Patterson, welcomed the decision.
"We took a decision in August last year to run a local campaign to highlight and tackle this issue and as part of this carried out a survey of doctors in Northern Ireland, to find out the extent of the problem
"As a result, in November we had the hard evidence which showed that violence was continuing and on the increase.
"We published our report on the survey, which showed that almost half of the 1,000 doctors who responded said that violence was a problem and more than a quarter said it had increased in the past year."
Dr Patterson said an end would only be in sight when people realised that they would face a custodial sentence if they attacked doctors and other healthcare workers.