The NHS has announced new measures to tackle violence against staff in mental health and learning disability services.
A first national training syllabus to tackle violence against frontline staff in mental health and learning disability services has been launched by the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS).
Promoting Safer and Therapeutic Services syllabus provides training in recognising, de-escalating and managing potentially violent incidents, according to the SMS. The service points to an agreed national standard for frontline staff in mental health and learning disability services. The training will be delivered by 2008.
From early next year, the NHS SMS will also begin training the new Local Security Management Specialists (LSMS) in mental health and learning disability services. The four and half week course is designed specifically, the SMS says, for LSMS working in mental health trusts.
Part of the role will be to look at how to tackle the causes of violence, such as the service user environment and alcohol and drugs misuse on the wards. The LSMS will also act as an interface between the trust and the police and will be supported by advice and guidance from the NHS SMS.
