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Hospital Staff Turn to Body Cams Against Rising Violence
29 Mar
Summary
- Body cameras are being permanently adopted by a health trust to combat attacks.
- Cameras activate only when patients or visitors become aggressive.
- Over 72,000 attacks on health staff occurred in Northern Ireland in five years.
Body-worn cameras are set to become a permanent fixture in some Northern Ireland hospitals due to their effectiveness in tackling violence against healthcare staff. The Northern Health Trust is permanently implementing these devices in its Antrim ED and extending them to Causeway Hospital ED following a successful trial.
These cameras, worn on the lapels of healthcare workers, are activated only when a patient or visitor displays aggressive behaviour. Naomi Baldwin from the Northern Health Trust stated that the cameras have had a positive impact on de-escalating tensions and influencing patient behaviour. Staff have reported that warning patients about activation led to immediate changes in conduct.
This measure addresses a significant issue, with over 72,000 physical and verbal attacks on health and social care staff across Northern Ireland in the last five years. Emergency department staff have been disproportionately affected by this aggression.
The trial in Antrim ED, involving various roles from ambulance triage to observation unit workers, saw no serious incidents reported. An evaluation confirmed the cameras as a valuable tool for safer staff/patient interactions and boosted staff confidence. The Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, expressed strong support for the cameras as an appropriate deterrent, hoping they will eventually be available to all HSC staff working in patient-facing roles.
