Violent Behaviour

The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust has a duty to provide a safe and secure environment for patients, staff and visitors. We will not tolerate violent or abusive behaviour and we will take decisive action to protect staff, patients and visitors.

Those patients who, in the expert judgement of the relevant clinician, are not competent to take responsibility for their actions will not be subject to this policy for example, an individual who becomes abusive as a result of an illness or injury.

This policy only applies to violent or abusive visitors and patients who are aged 18 or over who are competent to take responsibility for their actions. It does not apply to children and young people under the age of 18 or those who are not competent to take responsibility for their actions for example, an individual who becomes abusive as a result of an illness or injury.

The following are examples of behaviour, which are not acceptable to the Trust :

• Excessive noise for example, loud or intrusive conversation or shouting.
• Threatening or abusive language involving excessive swearing or offensive remarks.
• Derogatory racial or sexual remarks.
• Malicious allegations relating to members of staff, other patients or visitors.
• Offensive sexual gestures or behaviours.
• Abusing alcohol or drugs in hospital (all medically identified substance abuse problems will be treated appropriately).
• Drug dealing.
• Wilful damage to Trust property.
• Theft.
• Threats of violent behaviour.
• Violence.

Visitors

If visitors display any of the above behaviours they will be asked to stop and be offered the opportunity to explain their actions. Those who fail to comply will be removed from Trust property by security staff. Any visitor behaving in an unlawful manner will be reported to the police. The Trust will seek the application of the maximum penalties available in law. The Trust will prosecute all people who commit criminal acts on or against Trust property, assets or staff. Trust staff may decide to continue to exclude any individual removed from the premises or restrict their visiting to specific times, if necessary under escort from security staff.

Adult patients (age 18 or over)

Following any incident the immediate manager or department head (or their deputy) will explain to the patient that their behaviour is unacceptable and explain the expected standards of behaviour, which must be observed in the future. If the behaviour continues, the responsible manager or clinician will give an informal warning about the possible consequences of any further repetition.

If you continue to behave unacceptably it will result in the application of the Procedure for Care of Individuals who are Violent or Abusive (hereafter referred to as the Procedure for Care) as a formal warning of the consequences of such behaviour (a ‘Yellow Card’).

If a patient complies with the terms of the Procedure for Care they can expect the following:

• That their care will not be affected in any way.
• That, where substance abuse has been identified, appropriate assistance will be offered.
• That a copy of the Confirmation of the Procedure for Care will be filed in the patient's notes - a ‘flag’ will be used to highlight the confirmation on the PAS system.
• That the Trust's security adviser will be informed.
• That the Trust will fully investigate all valid concerns raised by the patient.
• That the Procedure for Care will lapse after one year.

If a patient fails to comply with the Procedure for Care, at the request of the relevant directorate manager and clinical director, we will exclude them from the Trust (a 'Red Card').

Such an exclusion will last one year, subject to alternative care arrangements being made; the relevent clinician will pursue such arrangements with vigour. If an excluded individual comes to the Trust’s A&E Department for emergency treatment, that individual will be treated and stabilised with, if necessary, security staff in attendance. Where possible, we will then transfer them immediately. However, if admission is unavoidable security staff will, if necessary, remain in attendance. An appropriate member of staff will determine the need for security staff.

If any patient behaves unlawfully the Security Adviser will report them to the police. The Trust will seek the application of the maximum penalties available in law. We will prosecute all people who commit criminal acts on or against Trust property, assets or staff.

Zero Tolerance Policy

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