Senior nurses at a major London hospital have started wearing body cameras in an attempt to cut violence towards them.
The Royal Free London NHS Trust has reported a significant increase in violent and aggressive behaviour from patients towards members of staff.
The hospital’s head of security said the introduction of body worn cameras aims to “ensure safer working environments”.
A total of 2,834 security incidents were recorded across the Trust in 2024 — and around 91 per cent concerned violence and aggression.
Paul Phillips, head of security at the RFL, said: “Increases in violence and aggression related incidents can be due to many factors, some of which we have influence over.
“We are trying as much as we can to reduce and prevent violence and aggression through policies and guidelines to ensure safer working environments.”
Body cameras will be worn at the emergency departments at the Royal Free Hospital and Barnet Hospital, as well as the Mary Rankin unit at St Pancras Hospital.
The departments where the cameras will be used have been highlighted as hot spots for such activity.
Devices are small and are attached to the front pocket of nurse uniforms.
They can be activated with one touch to record video and audio, and otherwise remain inactive.
Bev Thomas, director of nursing at Barnet Hospital and chair of the violence prevention and reduction committee, said: “In the 2023 NHS staff survey, 31% of RFL colleagues said they experienced bullying, harassment and abuse from patients, service users and members of the public in the previous twelve months.
“Nobody should have to face violence and aggression as part of their job, and we hope that these cameras will have the desired effect of de-escalating situations, reducing disruption and recording an independent account of what happened.”
