The introduction of body-worn cameras to help protect Emergency Department medical staff from physical and verbal abuse within the Northern HSC Trust, as part of a pilot scheme, has been widely locally.
Mid Ulster District Council are so supportive of the trial scheme that council officers would like to see it extended to the Southern HSC Trust.
The matter was discussed at a recent Policy & Resources committee meeting of Mid Ulster District Council.
The council’s draft response to the pilot was worded as follows: “The council is appalled at the levels of violence and aggression documented in the consultation document.
“These figures are especially startling during a time when healthcare workers are under immense pressure, and are experiencing a high level of demand for their services.
“Having considered this proposal in the context of the documented incidents of violence and aggression, Mid Ulster District Council is broadly supportive of the proposal – in principle – for a pilot to take place to introduce body-worn devices as one way of addressing the current levels of violence and aggression towards staff, patients and visitors.
“Also, given that the level of violent incidents contained in the consultation documentation, are not contained to the Northern HSC Trust area, the council would like to seek clarity on whether or not a pilot will also be held in the Southern HSC Trust.
“However, Mid Ulster District Council would encourage extensive staff consultation with the relevant trade unions, in order to ensure that the majority of Trust staff are in favour of this proposed introduction, and that they would be reassured by introducing body-worn devices.
“It is the opinion of Mid Ulster District Council that the mental and physical health and wellbeing of all healthcare staff, should be of paramount importance to their employers.
“Therefore, Mid Ulster District Council is supportive of this proposal – in principle, should Trust staff members feel it is necessary to maintain their mental and physical health and wellbeing.”
Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Gael Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Clogher Valley DEA) said she was very supportive of such provision: “I do believe that the staff in Emergency Departments and paramedics do deserve to be protected, and if the cameras are used to protect them, then it’s a good thing.”
Councillor Denise Johnston (SDLP, Moyola DEA) had concerns regarding privacy issues: “I see the absolute importance of it and it’s worth giving a try, but I do worry about the privacy of the patients.
“In relation to that, how does that actually work? Because if they’re going to a treatment room, surely a patient should be entitled to privacy.”
Head of IT, Barry O’Hagan was confident that adequate safeguards would be put in place to protect the privacy of patients, adding : “I think under this proposal the Health Board will have carried out a data privacy impact assessment, assessing all of the impacts on patient privacy, doctor privacy and their personal data within that CCTV environment.
“And they certainly would have very secure control measures within that process.
“We would assume that’s the case, and if you have concerns in that respect, then maybe the Health Board could be asked to share that data privacy impact assessment with the council.”
Head of Strategic Services & Engagement, Joe McGuckin added: “We’d be happy to include any commentary around that as well in relation to the response.”
Councillor Córa Corry (Sinn Féin, Carntogher DEA) was confident that the cameras would be used in appropriate settings.
“They say it’s about the Emergency Department, so I take it that’s just really whenever people go in, and that is where most incidents occur. It’s not going to be in a consultation room or anything like that, I would hope.”
Councillor James Burton (DUP, Dungannon DEA) was concerned about the cost of such provision: “Could we also maybe ask the question about the cost involved in that there?
“Because I know it could be quite a costly thing, and I’m just thinking of the Health Service at the minute and budgets are tight, so could we also include that to see how much it’s going to cost, roughly?”
Councillor Trevor Wilson (UUP, Cookstown DEA) pointed out that the rationale behind the pilot scheme was to protect medical staff.
“I think the whole idea of this is to protect the staff, and therefore it’s a safety measure. It will only be used if the staff are being attacked or abused, so the issue Cllr Johnson raises about patient confidentiality wouldn’t occur, unless that patient – or whoever it is – attacks or verbally or physically attacks the person,” he said.
“As regards the cost, this would be borne obviously by the Health Service, but it’s a safety matter more than anything else.
“I welcome it, because you read every week of attacks on our nurses and Health Service staff, and I feel that this is one way maybe of deterring that.
“The police now wear body cameras as well, so I fully support it.”
Cllr Gildernew explained that recording devices are commonly issued in hospital settings across the border, where her daughter works.
“My daughter is a paramedic. She doesn’t work in any of the Trusts here in the North, but they have body cams I think already, or at least some sort of recording devices, and they’re only used when there’s an incident, or when they feel they need it on to protect themselves, so it would be the premise that it is used in the South.”
The recommendation to approve Mid Ulster District Council’s draft response to the Northern HSC Trust’s trial scheme was proposed by Mid Ulster District Council Chairman, Cllr Eugene McConnell, and seconded by Council Vice-Chairman, Cllr Wesley Brown.
Most read today
LIR Construction
