The National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS), is to focus on NHS lone worker protection, at its expanded annual national conference. Whereas previous conferences have been the single day, 2022’s is a two-day gathering at the University of Birmingham on Wednesday and Thursday, November 2 and 3.
NAHS Chair Roger Ringham said the global sponsorship agreement with CriticalArc would bring significant benefits, including assistance with research projects and improved partnerships with the higher education sector; NAHS office holders and their counterparts in the university chiefs of security association Aucso have attended each other’s conferences, reflecting that campuses and healthcare face the same security risks, and some unis have college hospitals as they train medics.
Roger Ringham, pictured, said: “We currently have no formal annual reporting of aggression against NHS staff nationally, all the data we have suggests this is a problem that is continuing to grow. With workload pressures also increasing, and many NHS Trusts struggling to recruit staff, improving safety is a priority.
“Developing new solutions and sharing best practice are key aims for NAHS, and we welcome CriticalArc’s support as we invest in improved services for members. This renewed focus on worker protection will be reflected in our annual conference programme in November, and the initiatives that arise from it.”
Invited speakers include: Dan Jones – Senior Project Manager – NHS England Violence Prevention and Reduction; Mike Craissati – Integrated Care Services/Board VPRS Programme Lead (Chair of National Performance Advisory Group); and Mike Jones – SWAST Paramedic (Chair, National Ambulance Violence Reduction and Security Group). Speakers on the training side are Helen Smith – Clinical Lead South of England Improving Safety in MH Collaborative; and Ben Higgins – Restraint Reduction Network / British Institute of Learning Disabilities.
NAHS is working with Claire Humble of the training consultancy Nuology to develop Healthcare Security Officer (Level one to four) and Healthcare Security Manager (Level five to seven) courses. This will, the association hopes, establish a career pathway and professional register for healthcare security personnel. Representatives from NAHS and Nuology will give a presentation on the courses.
As last November, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) will also be there, and the proposed Protect Duty and what it might mean for healthcare will also feature.
About NAHS
NAHS is associated with the Forum for Healthcare Security in Ireland and has links to Healthcare Security in New Zealand and counterparts in the USA, International Association for Healthcare Safety and Security (IAHSS). NAHS has formal links with the Security Institute, Security Commonwealth, Security Industry Authority and ASIS UK Chapter 208 and can award CPD points to members for attendance at the annual conference, meetings and events.
The association, which has more than 700 members across the sector, is championing improved information sharing and best-practice development with the support of CriticalArc and other industry partners. The CriticalArc product SafeZone is in use at nearing half of UK universities, and is being adopted by NHS trusts. It is enabling emergency assistance for thousands of NHS staff – including lone workers in hospitals, at local clinics, and in the community – locating checked-in users and allowing control room operators to coordinate responses, for example, by directing relevant responders to the scene of an incident. SafeZone’s platform is being used by NHS trusts for a growing list of functions including direct and targeted mass communications, ‘See it? Say it!’ tip reporting by staff, and streamlined coordination between clinical teams and team leaders.
Darren Chalmers-Stevens, CriticalArc’s Chief Operating Officer said: “With healthcare services under enormous pressure, NAHS is focusing on the priority challenges facing NHS security teams, including lone worker protection, preparedness and incident response. CriticalArc is pleased to be bringing our proven solution to the table to help NHS trusts respond, and to be providing our support and expertise to NAHS as a global sponsor.”
For more on CriticalArc and SafeZone go to www.criticalarc.com.
