The Department of Health announced in May 2009 that 30,000 NHS lone workers will receive personal security alarms. Staff will be able to use these devices to monitor and record incidents where they feel their safety is threatened.
Nottinghamshire Healthcare, the County’s mental health and learning disability service provider, is in the process of rolling out 397 alarms to clinical and non-clinical lone working staff. Over the next two months all of these staff will receive a comprehensive training package to ensure that they are able to use the alarm system competently.
Sue Frith of the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) explained:
“The new system provides NHS members of staff with a service that they can use to signal discreetly for assistance should they feel vulnerable or distressed when working alone.
“It helps protect NHS staff from violence or abuse and allows action to be taken against those who have committed assaults.
This helps deliver healthy and safe working conditions and an environment free from harassment, bullying or violence, in line with the new NHS Constitution.”
Ian Brown, Local Security Management Specialist for Nottinghamshire Healthcare added: “This is a considerable step forward in improving the safety of our lone working staff. The safety and security of all our staff is essential to providing an excellent service to our local community and we are committed to protect our staff from incidents of violence, threatening behaviour and verbal abuse. The Lone Worker Alarm Solution enables us to monitor and record an incident and where appropriate use the recording as evidence in criminal or civil proceedings.”
