NHS staff to get personal security alarms
NHS staff to get personal security alarms
Thousands of lone NHS workers are being issued personal security alarms, health secretary Alan Johnson has announced. The lone worker alarm system is designed for nurses and other healthcare staff who work in isolation from colleagues and may need to call for assistance when their personal security is threatened. A total of 30,000 of the i750 identicom devices are to be issued and will help locate the user and link to a trained individual who can summon help if needed. The Department of Health says if a lone worker indicates they need help, the call centre will be able listen to and record events in a way that is legally admissible, making it is easier to bring prosecutions. Health secretary Alan Johnson said: 'No NHS staff should have to put up with violence in the workplace, but sadly it happens. Lone workers are particularly vulnerable and I am determined to provide them with as much protection as we can to enable them to carry out their valuable work knowing that they have the support they need should their personal safety be threatened.' The alarms are being rolled out from 5 May 2009 and will initially be targeted at community workers who work with patients and their families or associates who have a history of violence, alcohol or drug abuse or clinical conditions which might heighten risks to the lone worker, and those who work in areas of high crime rates and social deprivation. The latest NHS staff survey found that violence against NHS employees had not improved for four consecutive years, with 12 per cent of workers reporting physical abuse from patients and their relatives.
Stay Updated
Want to hear about our latest news and blogs?
Sign up now to get it straight to your inbox