Union calls for more security after hospital attack

Essex Police is appealing for witnesses after a member of hospital staff was stabbed during a robbery

A union is calling for increased security patrols at a hospital after a member of staff was stabbed in its car park.

Essex Police was called to Basildon University Hospital at about 06:40 BST on Monday after a woman was stabbed in the stomach during a robbery.

Issues around lighting and CCTV have been raised and are being reviewed by the hospital.

The victim's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening and she is recovering at home, the hospital said.

Unison regional organiser Sam Older said the attack was "really shocking", and the union's concern was to make sure staff were safe when travelling to and from work.

"Our members have to come into work in the early hours of the morning and have to finish late at night due to their shift patterns," he said.

"[The NHS trust] are going to be reviewing and putting forward plans they already had around improving the lighting, improving the CCTV, but we need to make sure there are regular security patrols."

He said these were especially important around the times when staff started and finished their shifts.

'Security has been stepped up'

Insp Steve Parry said: "We are working closely with the hospital following understandable concerns from members of staff and patients and we will continue to update them as the investigation progresses."

The force is appealing for anyone who may have been in the area or witnessed anything suspicious to come forward.

Insp Parry said: "The victim managed to sound the horn of her car following the assault, which may trigger people's memory around what they saw in the area round that time."

Matthew Hopkins, chief executive of the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said security had been stepped up.

He added: "The safety of our staff and patients using our car parks is very important to us.

"We are doing everything we can to ensure people's safety and police officers will continue patrolling the site in the coming days."