01.09.14
New deal to safeguard north west NHS staff from assault and abuse
A new agreement has been signed between the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) North West and NHS Protect to help protect NHS staff from assault and abuse in the north west.
The Service Level Agreement (SLA) commits both bodies to working closely together to ensure that people who attack NHS staff are prosecuted, where appropriate.
In 2012-13, there were 63,199 reported physical assaults against NHS staff in England, according to NHS Protect. Although SLAs are not new in themselves they are aimed at bringing the strongest possible action against those who threaten and assault NHS staff in the course of their work.
The North West SLA, which applies to the geographical areas of Cumbria, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, aims to strengthen the prosecution process, recognising that there is a strong public interest in prosecuting those who assault NHS staff or commit other offences that disrupt the provision of NHS services.
It is the ninth such SLA that has been entered into by NHS Protect and local CPS organisations.
John Mytton, North West area security management specialist for NHS Protect, said: “Both CPS North West and NHS Protect have worked hard to reach this point.
“We will continue to support health bodies to ensure that all incidents of violence and aggression against staff are addressed and appropriate sanctions are brought where necessary.”
Additionally, Local Security Management Specialists (LSMSs) are in place in health bodies across England to investigate security breaches, along with the police, and implement new systems to better protect NHS staff and property. All reported incidents of violence against staff are reported to the LSMS as well as the police.
The nine LSAs are:
- North West
- West Midlands
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- Bedfordshire
- Kent
- Essex
- Hampshire
- Thames Valley
(Image: c. Andy Smith)
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