Emergency Department bodycams to help stop staff abuse
Body-worn cameras are set to improve the safety of both patients and staff after being introduced in the Emergency Department (ED) at Southend Hospital.
The cameras will not be recording all the time and will only be switched on if a patient becomes abusive or violent - and only after they are told they are being recorded. Staff do not need to wear them all the time.
The new safety measure follows a rise in incidents of verbal and physical abuse against NHS workers across the country, these new cameras are aiming to act as a deterrent and help staff feel safer at work.
Marnie Haney, Associate Director of Nursing for Emergency Department & Acute, who has worked in both Basildon and Southend Emergency Departments, said: “I’ve seen people being called names, spat at and kicked. Although we understand that due to certain conditions some patients can be more challenging, this does not take away from the daily threat of abuse in the department.
“In many cases aggression and violence cannot be excused so these cameras will help give that extra support when we need them and will hopefully be a deterrent to patients and relatives from being verbally, racially or physically abusive.”
Southend Hospital has over 200 CCTV cameras, a dedicated security team and some areas already have panic buttons to support staff who may have abuse or violence aimed at them.
In the 2024 NHS Staff Survey over 28% of staff at the Trust, of which Southend is a part along with main hospital sites in Basildon and Broomfield, said they had personally experienced harassment, bullying or abuse at work from patients, service users, their relatives or other members of the public.
Christine Blanshard, Chief Medical Officer at the Trust, said: “We have a duty of care to our staff and must protect them from harm, people shouldn’t be abused at work. You don’t come to work to be hit or shouted at.
“This is not a decision we take lightly, but staff have told us it’s the right step. It’s a proportionate response to real risk and is about improving safety, not increasing surveillance.”
The person recording on the body cameras will not be able to view the footage. Footage will be securely uploaded and can only be reviewed by heads of security. It can also be shared with Essex Police or HR during an investigation.
The use of body cameras already falls under existing hospital policy, as they are used by the security team. The initiative is already in use at Basildon ED, with it set to be rolled out across Broomfield Hospital’s ED soon.