SHROPSHIRE’S two acute hospitals have outlined ways that staff are protected from violence and aggression.

Health secretary Matt Hancock MP this week set out new measures to protect NHS staff to try to reduce the thousands of assaults that take place every year.

According to the latest NHS Staff Survey, the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) performs better than the national average both in the percentage of staff experiencing physical violence or harassment, bullying or abuse from patients, relatives or the public.

The security team at SaTH, which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, was this year shortlisted in the Trust’s annual Values in Practice (VIP) Awards, having picked up a monthly VIP Award in October 2017.

SaTH operates a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour and takes a number of steps to address offenders.

Warning letters are always sent to those found intentionally acting in anti-social way, while those being physically abusive could face prosecution.

The letters, which are signed by the chief executive, warn recipients that they could have non-life threatening or routine treatment withheld if they repeat their behaviour.

Julia Clarke, SaTH's director of corporate governance, said: “All NHS staff deserve to be able to go about their duties without fear of aggression – verbal or physical.

"Anyone who behaves anti-socially should be warned that it will not be tolerated. It could result in prosecution, or the risk of non-urgent treatment being stopped.”

Measures in the NHS Violence Reduction Strategy include:

• Offenders being prosecuted quickly as a result of new partnership between the NHS, Police and Crown Prosecution Service

• The Care Quality Commission (CQC) scrutinising NHS trusts on quality of plans to reduce violence against staff

• Better training for staff to deal with violent situations, including challenging circumstances involving patients with dementia or mental health issues

• A new system so that staff can record assaults more easily

According to the latest NHS Staff Survey, The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) performs better than the national average both in the percentage of staff experiencing physical violence or harassment, bullying or abuse from patients, relatives or the public.

The Security Team at SaTH – which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford –was this year shortlisted in the Trust’s annual Values in Practice (VIP) Awards, having picked up a monthly VIP Award in October 2017.

SaTH operates a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour and takes a number of steps to address offenders. Warning letters are always sent to those found intentionally acting in anti-social way, while those being physically abusive could face prosecution. The Trust continuously works and supports local police with ongoing investigations and prosecutions into anti-social and/or aggressive behaviour.

Other measures include:

– Body worn video cameras used by security staff.

– Security teams on duty 24/7 at both hospitals

– Lone worker pagers

– CCTV

SaTH says that the number of intentional incidents – verbal and physical – at the two hospitals has decreased since 2009.

Intentional incidents are where the perpetrator was not deemed to have any reasonable excuse for their behaviour, such as an underlying medical condition or illness, or reaction to a prescribed treatment.

Jon Simpson, SaTH security manager, said: “The trust is proactive when it comes to the safety of staff. We were the first in the West Midlands to use body worn cameras to help collect information for police, and these have been successful.

"The trust’s policy of sending letters to individuals who have been verbally abusive at our hospitals is also working.

"While decreases in the number of reported incidents is welcome, we recognise that the risk of adverse or unwelcome behaviour will always be present. Where this does occur, we have demonstrated that we are in a strong position to control and reduce its impact and seek some form of sanction or redress.

“The message is simple: anti-social behaviour – whether verbal or physical – will not be tolerated."