Sandwell Hospital medics to get body cams to warn off 'aggressive' patients
Doctors and nurses at Sandwell Hospital will be fitted with body cameras amid concerns for their safety.
Body-worn cameras are to be introduced in response to rising “aggression” towards staff that has prompted complaints to bosses.
Youth workers could also be brought in to target patients who have been stabbed or assaulted and thought to be involved in gangs.
The move is part of the Violence Reduction Programme, which has been introduced at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.
'Aggression'
Toby Lewis, the chief executive of the trust which runs the hospital, said action on body cameras was being taken in “response to employee concerns about aggression from patients and visitors”.
He said “key staff” would get cameras, which is likely to include A&E and other frontline workers.
The safety programme has been funded by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson as part of efforts to try and tackle rising violent crime.
Mr Jamieson said when the project was launched the extra youth workers would “prove invaluable in the fight against violent crime”.
In a report to board members, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust chief executive Mr Lewis said: “The trust is imminently to introduce body-worn cameras for key staff as part of our response to employee concerns about aggression from visitors and patients, which remains the highest rated incident type reported in the trust month on month.”
