Jane Elliott BBC News Online health staff

Attacks against staff are on the increase in the NHS

Violent attacks against NHS staff are increasing throughout the UK, but one London hospital is bucking the trend.

Over the last two years King's College Hospital, in London, has seen violence against staff fall from 609 incidents in 2000 to 486 in 2002.

Management say that the figures for 2003 are expected to fall to less than 400 attacks on staff.

And they credit this remarkable turnaround to something as simple a new infrared personal alarm system, called Pinpoint.

Attacks

Although Pinpoint is used in many hospital accident and emergency departments (A&E), King's also use it in many of their other departments.

And staff say the system could already have prevented a number of violent attacks on them, becoming much more serious.

I wouldn't work anywhere else unless Pinpoint was installed Tricia Fitzgerald

When a violent drug withdrawal patient attacked Sister Rosie Jones, she was terrified.

But within minutes security were on the scene. They had caught the man and called the police.

"The patient involved was very agitated as he was in drug withdrawal.

"He jumped off his hospital trolley, pushed me against a wall and spat in my face.

"I pulled the pin immediately so that I could get some help.

"Colleagues rushed over and the patient ran off, knocking over equipment and also attempting to throw an oxygen cylinder at another nurse.

"Security arrived and started chasing him and eventually caught up with him at the other end of resuscitation.

"The police were called and they dealt with him.

"I think that Pinpoint is a great reassurance and knowing that it's backed up with a professional security team, who are trained to do their job properly, it makes you feel safe, and patients and visitors too."

Tricia Fitzgerald, the Head of Nursing and Service Management in A&E at King's agreed: "I wouldn't work anywhere else unless Pinpoint was installed."

Help

The system works by staff carrying a small infrared transmitter which allows them to call for help at the first sign of trouble.

King's Security Manager Chris Doherty, said some staff had told him that one of the reasons they had chosen to work at King's was because of its tough policy on tackling violence against staff.

"I believe it is important we set a standard for safeguarding staff for the whole sector.

"While there is still work to be done to reduce violent incidents further, a lot of effort has been invested in developing our security system and as our figures show it is having a significant effect.

He said that security staff were constantly on the alert and moved quickly at the first sign of any trouble.

John Waring, MD of Pinpoint, said the system had been installed in a number of hospitals and mental health institutions.

"If staff get in a situation they can't handle they can activate the system. It reduces the risk of injury to staff.