Hospital security workers are to start using body-worn cameras in a bid to “reduce violence and aggression” against staff.
A trial is being started at Southern Trust hospitals - Craigavon Area and Daisy Hill - amid ongoing violent incidents, the Trust said in a statement issued on Monday.
The Trust says that from October 2021 to March 2022, their security team responded to 438 incidents of "violence and aggression" across both hospitals. The number equates to more than two incidents a day.
Read more: Northern Ireland ambulance staff start using body-worn-cameras as attacks continue to rise
Anita Carroll, Assistant Director of Functional Support Services, said: “We want to support a culture where violence and aggression in health and social care is totally unacceptable and our amazing, dedicated staff always feel safe at work.
“The introduction of body worn cameras aims to act as a deterrent, to reduce and prevent abuse against patients, staff and visitors.
“They will be used in addition to existing security procedures and will only be activated when it is felt that the safety of staff or patients is really compromised. In the event that we do need to record, footage may be used to identify and prosecute offenders if necessary.”
The move comes after the announcement of a similar trial by Northern Ireland Ambulance Service personnel last month.
The Trust says the cameras are the size of a smart phone and will be worn on security porters’ uniforms.
In the statement, they added: “They are forward facing, allowing the person to see themselves and potentially modify behaviour. A member of the security team will advise before activating the camera which may act as a further deterrent to help defuse the situation.”
The Trust says the trial is planned for six months with the use of cameras “being carefully managed and continually reviewed”.
The statement added: “They will not be used in paediatric services. All data recorded will be processed in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation.”
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