Speaking after a visit to the hospital today, where healthcare staff have been attacked recently, the Minister said: “There has been an urgent review by the Northern Trust of security at Causeway Hospital in light of the incidents of recent weeks.
“A number of measures to improve security at the Accident and Emergency Department have been recommended. As a first step, security guards are now deployed in the A&E Department at night and I am sure their presence will be reassuring for staff, patients and visitors.
“ I welcome the initial action taken to improve security, and I have asked the Trust to advise me of the further steps proposed to protect, at all times, the personal safety of those admitted, visiting or working in the hospital."
He added: “Any form of attack on healthcare staff is inexcusable and totally unacceptable. It is appalling to think that those who dedicate themselves to saving lives and to public service should be subject to verbal or physical abuse.
“Last year I launched a zero tolerance campaign on attacks on healthcare workers, and Health and Social Care Trusts are required to have a zero tolerance policy in operation.
“Perpetrators of violence against staff must face the full rigour of the law. My department is currently giving active consideration to the creation of new legislation for Northern Ireland that will provide health and social care staff with additional protection from attack.”
The Minister also visited and praised the specialist dental unit at Causeway Hospital.
This unit, staffed by members of the Community Dental Service (CDS), provides dental care for special needs patients such as those with a learning disability, physical disability or a compromising medical condition.
Mr. McGimpsey said: “This specialist unit is a shining example of how a multidisciplinary team working together can deliver a first class service to patients.
“I am pleased to see that the trust has taken on one of the main recommendations from the Review of the Community Dental Service report and prioritised its dental services on providing care for special needs patients.”
Over the last two years the service at the Causeway Hospital has played an important role in addressing waiting time issues which were being experienced by learning disabled patients living in the Eastern Health and Social Services Board (EHSSB) area.
The dental service at Causeway hospital has assessed 81 patients from the EHSSB and provided care for 78 of these patients, thus significantly reducing waiting times in the Eastern Board area.
The Minister added: “I particularly want to thank the staff here at Causeway for the important role they played in helping to reduce waiting times for learning disabled patients from the Eastern Health and Social Services Board over the past two years.”
Notes to Editors:
- In June 2007, the Minister launched a Zero Tolerance publicity campaign on attacks against staff. This campaign was directed at both staff and the general public and aimed to raise awareness and reinforce the message that violence against health and social care staff will not be tolerated.
- A senior director within each trust has responsibility for staff safety and for ensuring that any victims of attack are fully supported in the aftermath of any such incident and throughout any course of action that may follow.
- The Community Dental Service (CDS) offers a full range of dental care to its patients and because of the complex needs of these patients, many of the dental procedures need to be undertaken under intravenous sedation or general anaesthetic. This type of care is time intensive and patients have most of their treatment undertaken at one visit.
- The specialist dental unit was set up in 2004 and since then has assessed more than 550 patients.
- The service aims to provide all treatment for those patients which have been assessed by the staff. One of the quality service standards is that no patient should wait on average more than 90 days (13 weeks) between assessment and treatment. Over the four years of operation, the service has largely delivered against this 13 week target.
- Media enquiries to Adrian Jones at the DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0074 or 07825 141103, or out of office hours contact the Duty Press Office via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
