§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many security staff were recruited for hospital accident and emergency departments in each year since 1997. [24355]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 8 January 2002]: Security and safety of staff, patients and property in the national health service is of great importance to us.
Guidance on effective management of security in accident and emergency departments was issued by the NHS Executive in 1997 and was an important aspect of the Government strategy when funding the upgrading of accident and emergency departments.
271WSecurity is provided in trusts by "in-house" staff or by private security organisations.
The method of provision and level of staffing is a matter for individual trusts dependant on the size of the hospital, the locality, staffing levels and the general configuration of the buildings.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many security staff by hospital(a) were recruited to and (b) left West Sussex hospitals accident and emergency departments in each year since 1997. [24356]
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many security staff were assaulted in hospital accident and emergency departments by patients in 2001. [24354]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 8 January 2002]: Information on the levels of violent incidents against individual staff group is not collected centrally, but may be held at a local level by national health service employers.
The Department conducted a survey of national health service trusts in England in 1998–99. The survey found that, on average, seven violent incidents were recorded each month per 1,000 staff. This is equivalent to approximately 65,000 violent incidents against NHS trust staff each year. Details of the survey can be found in Health Service Circular 1999/229: "Managing Violence, Accidents and Sickness Absence in the NHS", a copy of which is in the Library.
Figures for recorded violent incidents in 2000–01 are currently being analysed by the Department.