By Tony O'Riley-
Nottinghamshire Police are to establish an office in the emergency department at Queen’s Medical Centre after an increase in violent attacks on staff and patients, The Eye Of Media.Com has heard
It follows a number of attacks and distressing levels of verbal abuse to staff which has led to the dramatic plans to base a number of officers at the medical centre, to ensure order and arrest any thugs who spark violence on the premises. One of the objectives of cops will be to diffuse tensions when gangs of youths enter the hospital grounds seeking revenge when a patient has been admitted with a stab wound.
Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping said the office which will clearly be labelled will send out a clear message that violence will not be tolerated. The office, based within the emergency department, will be used by inspectors, the beat team, and community protection officers. Police will also conduct interviews there and take statements from witnesses and victims
Last year, there was 326 reports of physical attacks and 107 reports of verbal abuse on staff working across Queen’s Medical Centre and the City Hospital
Mr Tipping said: “I have been in the A&E department on a Friday night and they get difficult customers fuelled by drink and drugs.
“They have well trained security but there has been discussions about having police officers based there for a while.
“It is merely a base so that people can see them. There will be no specific officers allocated there.
“There are times when the emergency department is hectic, there is a lot of demand, and people exhibiting unacceptable behaviour.
“The officers by necessity will hang around to get statements.
“If people recognise the police are there and more visible it will have a deterrent effect.”
Andrew Chatten, director of estates and facilities at the hospital, added: “The trust, in particular the emergency department at the QMC, is at times subject to the impacts of anti-social behaviour.
“The trust has been working with police colleagues to help mitigate the impacts on these occasions.
“To support this mitigation a fully functioning police office has been allocated within the emergency department.