A proposal for Emergency Department staff in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust to trial the use of body-worn cameras is to go out to public consultation.
The Board of the Northern Trust has agreed to ask the public for their views on the pilot project for staff working in Antrim Area Hospital’s Emergency Department.
The aim of the pilot is to help reduce the number of incidences of violence and aggression towards healthcare staff.
Statistics published by the Department of Health in 2023 showed there were more than 50,000 attacks on healthcare workers over a five-year period; of that figure, more than 6,600 were against workers in the Northern Trust.
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.
“We owe it to our staff to do all we can to address violence and aggression in the workplace. Emergency Departments are always extremely busy and staff are working in very challenging circumstances under huge pressure to provide care for all those who come through the doors; they need our support. They should not have to deal with or tolerate any form of abuse.”
It is proposed that the pilot will run for six months.
Last year, the Department of Health launched a new framework to help tackle violence and aggression towards health and social care staff, accompanied by the campaign strapline: “Violence and aggression. It’s not part of the job.”
It was developed by the DoH in partnership with HSC Trusts and Trade Unions.
The Northern Trust has also established its own internal MOVA (Management of Violence and Aggression) working group and has developed a staff toolkit to equip managers with a dedicated resource to support team members and colleagues who have been impacted by violence and aggression in the course of their duties.
Suzanne Pullins, Executive Director of Nursing with the Northern Trust, added:
“While our staff are trained in managing incidents where individuals may become violent or aggressive, training alone is not always enough to defuse a tense situation. There is evidence to suggest that the use of body-worn cameras can act as a successful deterrent, and supports staff in feeling safer.
“We have spoken to our colleagues in other HSC Trusts who have rolled out similar schemes and the feedback has been very positive.”
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.
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.”
Audrey Harris, Director of Medicine and Emergency Medicine with the Trust, added:
“This pilot will provide an extra layer of safety for staff on the occasions when things do unfortunately escalate, and the cameras will be able to provide evidence which is in the interests of both our staff and patients.
“There will be strict parameters in place around the use of the cameras, should this pilot proceed. In drawing up the proposals, we have worked alongside our Trade Union colleagues, and staff. The Trust has considered any implications around equality, human rights, data protection and privacy in relation to the use of body-worn cameras in an acute healthcare setting.”
Under the proposals for the pilot scheme, Body Worn Cameras (BWCs) will be trialled by staff working in Antrim Area Hospital’s Emergency Department for a six-month period.
The consultation period will run until 1 May 2025.
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