NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service Division - The NHS Security Management Service

The NHS Security Management Service

The NHS Security Management Service was set up alongside the NHS Counter Fraud Service to build on the successes of the latter by extending the remit to security issues. As part of a new Special Health Authority the NHS SMS has begun to introduce the first ever national strategy for security in the NHS, which involves measures to protect staff in England against violence and abuse, prevent theft and damage to equipment and property, ensure the security of drugs and medicines and protect maternity and paediatric units.

The NHS SMS set about ensuring that every health body appointed a Local Security Management Specialist, trained and accredited by the NHS SMS, so that health bodies would be able to focus on the issues that affected them locally. In addition, the NHS SMS set up a Legal Protection Unit which provides cost effective legal advice to the NHS on pursuing sanctions against offenders and if necessary can pursue prosecutions. In 2004-2006, the rate of prosecution for people who assault NHS staff had gone up to 16 times what it had been in 2002-2003 (850 against 51), and increased again to 869 in 2006-2007.

In November 2007 it was revealed that there had been 55,709 physical assaults against NHS staff in England, 2,986 fewer than 2005-2006 and 4,586 fewer than 2004-2005.

In April 2004, the NHS SMS launched the biggest ever training programme in NHS history. Conflict Resolution Training aims to train 750,000 frontline NHS staff members in techniques to manage and prevent violence, looking at methods of communication, cultural awareness, environment and how to de-escalate violent situations as well as how to avoid being physically assaulted if de-escalation fails.

The NHS SMS has also contributed to trials of technology to help protect NHS staff and assets. This includes assisting with the Safer Hospitals Programme to develop environments which can help to reduce violence, and trialling a device for lone workers which will enable them to discreetly call for help to a response centre if in danger and give details as to their location, as well as recording evidence that can be used to prosecute offenders.