Bradford hospital workers get protection alarms

Hospital staff who face potentially aggressive or dangerous situations while working alone in Bradford have been given personal security alarms.

Once activated the devices record sound from violent incidents and open phone lines to a 24-hour call centre.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the alarms would help protect staff who worked outside hospitals or without colleagues nearby.

It has provided 200 devices to staff since the start of the year.

The trust's security management specialist, Karon Snape, said: "The majority of our patients pose no threat and greatly welcome the community support we offer through many of our services.

"However, Bradford Teaching Hospitals has a responsibility to protect its workforce against the small number of incidents of violence, threatening behaviour and verbal abuse which occur each year.

"Our staff can now use the alarms to monitor and record incidents where they feel their safety is threatened."

Ms Snape said audio recordings obtained through the devices could be used in criminal and civil proceedings against alleged offenders.

St Luke's Hospital community midwife Donna Patchett said: "I'm really glad we have the alarms now and think they are a really good idea.

"We carry out a lot of visits on our own and very often we don't know what we are going to be greeted with when we walk through someone's front door.

"It's nice to know that if things ever get out of hand, there is someone there at the push of a button who can listen, record incidents if we are being threatened and, in extreme cases, call the aid of the police."