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“Uncooperative patient” incidents (or other similar description) in an NHS Hospital setting

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Matt O'Donoghue

Dear FOI Team,

I am a journalist who is researching the training and use of hospital security guards in an acute hospital setting.

The data you kindly provide will be compiled with other responses from each of the acute hospital trust across England to help produce a clear picture of the situation across the country.

In is anticipated that this data will be used as part of a report.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, please could you search your database (DATIX/ULYSES or other) and provide the data in response to the following inquiries:

1/ Year on year and for the past three calendar years, please could you provide figures for the number of times a DATIX/ULYSES or (please state other) your records keeping system holds, that relate to a report of “uncooperative patient behaviour” (or similar description which may include “violence and aggression”) was raised.

2/ Year on year and for the past three calendar years, how many of the above reports of “uncooperative patient behaviour” (or similar description which may include “violence and aggression”) resulted in an action by hospital security and how is this action described: eg: chemical, environmental, mechanical, physical or psychological

3/ What is your Trust policy on the restraint and detention of “uncooperative” patients?

4/ Which nationally recognised training framework and to which standards are your security staff trained? Eg: MAYBO, SAFESKILLS etc …

5/ What level of DBS checks are used when hiring your security staff?

6/ How often are your security staff DBS checked?

7/What are the minimum training standards and qualifications required of security staff carrying out patient “bed watch” duties?

8/ Year on year and for the last three calendar years, how many patient “bed watch” shifts did your hospitals need?

Thank you for your time and help.

Kindest regards,

Matt O’Donoghue

SWBH-GM-FOIREQUESTS (SANDWELL AND WEST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITALS NHS TRUST), Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust

Dear Matt,

Freedom of Information Request F21/0160

Thank you for your freedom of information request received 21.06.2021.

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. You will receive a response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days after the date of receipt as defined by the Act, subject to the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third party. In some circumstances we may be unable to achieve this deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and given a revised timescale at the earliest opportunity.

In some cases there may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collation and provision of the information you request. If this is the case you will be informed and the 20 working day timescale will be suspended until we receive payment from you. If you choose not to make payment then your request will remain unanswered.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.
Your request for information may be delayed due to urgent operational responses to dealing with Public Health priorities.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, we do remain committed to responding to your request and will respond as soon as we are able.

Trust's across the country have refocused resources to assist frontline staff to combat Covid-19 during this difficult period. The Trust will not be in a position to respond to certain FOI requests due to the increasing operational pressures.

Please could you confirm whether you still wish to have this processed as an FOI request, in light of the already burdensome situation on the NHS?

Thank you in advance of your support.

Kind regards

Freedom of Information Office
: [Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust request email]
+ Trust Headquarters, Health and Wellbeing Centre, Sandwell General
+ Hospital, Lyndon, West Bromwich B71 4HJ

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SWBH-GM-FOIREQUESTS (SANDWELL AND WEST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITALS NHS TRUST), Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust

FOI request ref: F21/0160

 

Dear Matt,

 

Thank you for your freedom of information request received 21.06.2021.

 

Q1: Year on year and for the past three calendar years, please could you
provide figures for the number of times ULYSSES
Incident type 2018 2019 2020
Verbal Abuse/Aggression 1367 1310 1111
Violence (Assault) 239 179 146
1606 1489 1257
Q2: Incidents resulted in an action by hospital security and how is this
action described
Action described 2018 2019 2020
Assault Physical - (Injury) Pt On Pt 3 1 3
Assault Physical - (Injury) Pt On St 49 42 28
Assault Physical - (Injury) Pt On Vis 1 5 1
Verbal Abuse - Pt On Pt 34 33 17
Verbal Abuse - Pt On St 1027 1015 838
Verbal Abuse - Pt On Vis 43 36 19
1157 1132 906

 

 

 

3/ What is your Trust policy on the restraint and detention of
“uncooperative” patients?

 

The Trust has polices in relation to dealing with   uncooperative patients
these are:-

 

[1]https://connect2.swbh.nhs.uk/wp-content/...

 

And

[2]https://connect2.swbh.nhs.uk/wp-content/...

 

 

 

 

4/ Which nationally recognised training framework and to which standards
are your security staff trained? Eg: MAYBO, SAFESKILLS etc …

 

Maybo. Assault Avoidance, Disengagement, Holding and Additional Holding
for Healthcare Settings. Refreshed yearly.

 

 

 

 

5/ What level of DBS checks are used when hiring your security staff?

 

Enhanced DBS
The enhanced will so show details of any spent and unspent criminal
convictions or conditional cautions held on record, as well as other vital
information held on local police databases.

 

Vetting is carried out in line with BS7858 Standard is the code of
practice released by BSI (British Standards Institution) which details
best practices and guidelines for the security screening of individuals
employed within a security environment. 

 

 

 

6/ How often are your security staff DBS checked?

 

3 yearly as part of SIA renewal. This DBS is undertaken by the SIA as part
of the renewal licence.

 

 

 

7/What are the minimum training standards and qualifications required of
security staff carrying out patient “bed watch” duties?

 

·       Sia licence door supervisor

·       Maybo. Assault Avoidance, Disengagement, Holding and Additional
Holding for Healthcare Settings.

 

 

8/ Year on year and for the last three calendar years, how many patient
“bed watch” shifts did your hospitals need?

 

Data not held on safeguarding system.

 

Important to note. - Not all bed watches would be carried out by security
personal. Bed watch may also be carried out by clinical staff /HCA
depended on patient risk.

 

 

 

 

I hope that the information provided in this email answers your query.
However, if you are dissatisfied with the response please contact the
Trust in the first instance with the details of your complaint so the
Trust can conduct an internal review. Please address such requests to
[3][Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust request email] or in writing to Kam Dhami, Director
of Governance, Trust Headquarters, Sandwell Hospital, Lyndon, West
Bromwich, B71 4HJ. Alternatively, if you remain unhappy with the outcome
you can appeal directly to the Information Commissioner at the following
address: [4]www.ico.gov.uk

 

Kind regards

 

Freedom of Information Office

: [Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust request email]

+ Trust Headquarters, Health and Wellbeing Centre, Sandwell General
Hospital, Lyndon, West Bromwich B71 4HJ

 

In the interests of the environment please think carefully before printing
this email

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We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not – if you are Matt O'Donoghue please sign in and let everyone know.