A proposal has been put forward for Emergency Department staff in the Northern Health Trust to trial body-worn cameras in a bid to protect staff in an increasingly violent work environment.
The plan to use bodycams in the Antrim Area Hospital’s Emergency Department for a test period of six months is set to go to public consultation.
The public consultation period will run until May 1 of this year.
The aim of the pilot project is to help reduce the number of violent and aggressive attacks on healthcare staff.
Figures revealed by the Department of Health (DoH) in 2023 showed that out of more than 50,000 attacks on healthcare workers recorded in a five a year period, over 6,600 were in the Northern Trust.
Suzanne Pullins, Executive Director of Nursing with the Trust, said the “vast majority” of patients are respectful, although “the statistics speak for themselves”.
Ms Pullins said: “It is a real shame that we are even having such a debate, but sadly the statistics speak for themselves.
“We know that the vast majority of people who attend our Emergency Departments are respectful of our staff and only a very small number engage in unacceptable behaviour – but even one is one too many.”
She added that while Trust staff members are trained to manage situations where individuals become violent and aggressive, training alone “is not always enough to defuse tense situations”.
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The Northern Trust worked alongside trade union colleagues when drawing up the proposals and have considered issues surrounding equality, human rights, data protection and privacy, she said.
Under the proposals, staff are obliged to tell a patient that they are being recorded and appropriate signage will also be placed in the Emergency Department to make patients and visitors aware.
Commenting on the levels of violence against healthcare staff, Anne O’Reilly, chair of the Trust Board, said: “Sadly, we have become accustomed to reading headlines about acts of violence and aggression towards those working in health and social care.
“The statistics are both alarming and wholly unacceptable. Dealing with this sort of behaviour is not part of the job; not only does it have an impact individual staff members, it also has a ripple effect on the wider team and negatively impacts staff morale, and can lead to periods of absence.
“And of course, it has an impact on our patients and service users who are witnessing this sort of behaviour.”
To tackle the levels of violence and aggression, the DoH launched a new framework last year in partnership with healthcare trusts and unions. Its slogan is: “Violence and aggression. It’s not part of the job.”
The Northern Trust has also established an internal Management of Violence and Aggression working group as well as a staff toolkit equipping managers with resources to support staff that suffer abuse while on duty.
More information is available by going to www.northerntrust.hscni.net/about-the-trust/involving-you/consultations/