The NSW Government’s 12-month trial of body worn cameras continues to be rolled out in selected hospitals in NSW.
Westmead Hospital has now joined the trial, with the aim of improving safety for staff, patients and visitors.
Minister for Health Ryan Park said a total of 15 hospitals across east Sydney, northern Sydney, south western Sydney, Hunter New England, the Illawarra Shoalhaven, the Mid North Coast and northern NSW are participating in the trial, which commenced at Royal North Shore Hospital in December 2024.
Security staff in participating hospitals are equipped with body worn cameras and can activate these cameras in response to incidents involving aggression and violence in the hospital, where there is risk of harm to staff, patients or others.
The trial will determine how effective the presence of the cameras are at deterring and de-escalating violent incidents and will be independently evaluated once completed.
Body worn cameras are one strategy intended to keep everyone safe in NSW public hospitals. NSW Health facilities also have a number of other key strategies in place to ensure the safest possible environment for staff, patients and visitors. These include:
- Ongoing risk assessments to identify and manage emerging security risks.
- Safety huddles to share information on patient related safety risk with incoming workers.
- Patient management plans that set out specific arrangements to keep both the patient and healthcare workers safe when providing care.
- Multi-disciplinary Code Black (duress) response teams. This includes the use of NSW Health security staff/Health and Security Assistants to assist clinical staff with the management of incidents.
- Workplaces designed to enhance line of sight for staff and reduce entrapment, including dual egress at staff stations and in treatments rooms.
- Lockdown arrangements including secure entry points between public and clinical areas and secure perimeters for facilities, particularly after hours.
- Personal mobile and fixed duress alarms for staff to ensure they can summon assistance when necessary.
- Closed circuit television (CCTV) and effective lighting to ensure visibility.
- Procedures to enhance car park security, including regular security patrols.
This trial is part of the ongoing implementation of recommendations from the Anderson Review of Hospital Security and follows implementation of other recommendations by the NSW Government to improve hospital security.
These include the establishment of the Safety and Security Improvement Unit within the Ministry of Health, the standardising of code black procedures, and enhanced support for patient experience officers.
Donna Davis MP Said:
“The safety of our staff and patients is my top priority as the Minister for Health.
“Any instances of aggression towards staff will not be tolerated, and appropriate action will always be taken against individuals who behave in such a manner.
“I look forward to the results of this trial which will provide insight into how we can reduce instances of violence and aggression in our public hospitals.
“Westmead Hospital is one of the busiest hospitals in the country and is a major trauma centre. Most of the visits remain trouble-free and while instances of aggression towards both staff and other patients are uncommon, they do unfortunately happen.
“I am pleased this trial is working to better support our hardworking frontline health staff to feel safer at work.”