Police Liaison
The College meets regularly with representatives of ACPO and NHS Protect to discuss matters of joint interest. On this page you can find guidance and resources for working with Police constabularies. If you have any queries, please contact philip.mcmillan@collemergencymed.ac.uk (020 7067 1269)
News
ED design toolkit (29 Nov 2011) - The Design Council has published a toolkit for NHS managers, clinicians and designer and healthcare planners who want to develop and deliver a better service in effective and inspiring environments. It will help you understand how to use design to develop integrated QIPP plans and improve performance against ED clinical quality indicators http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/AEtoolkit/
Substance Misuse Detainees in Police Custody: Guidelines for Clinical Management (4th edn) (28 Nov 2011) - The Royal College of Psychiatrists has published updated guidance on the acceptable minimum standards for the assessment of drug- and alcohol-dependent individuals and treatment interventions for forensic physicians.
Advice regarding recent theft and fraud offences against healthcare staff (3 Oct 2011) - Advice from NHS Protect
Deaths in or following police custody: An examination of the cases1998/99 – 2008/09 (26 Sept 2011) - Download this report from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) published in December 2010, which emphasises the importance of joint protocols between emergency departments and police services
Management of blood exposure in police officers (22 July 2011) - Professor Matthew Cooke (National Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care) has published an open letter to the NHS to clarify existing policy on the need for officers to receive assessment, and any necessary initial post exposure prophylaxis treatment, following exposure to blood of other persons (Click on link above)
Resources
Template Protocols
The following template protocols have been developed by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) in close consultation with the Department of Health, the Ambulance Chief Executives Group, the College of Emergency Medicine and the Police Service. They provide a framework that will support improved service delivery and the appropriate use of resources. They may be supplemented by detailed local procedures. For use in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Local Protocols
The following protocols have been developed by EDs and are made available here for other EDs to adapt for use in their departments. The College would like to thank the departments (named in brackets below) who have contributed to this section
- Discharge of patient from the Emergency Department to police custody (Worcestershire Royal Hospital)
- Guidance for contacting the Police Service for patients who have absconded from the Emergency Department (Worcestershire Royal Hospital)
Related CEM Guidance
Providing pre-transfusion blood samples for police - CEM poition statement (Oct 2011)
Management of Adult Patients who attend Emergency Departments after Sexual Assault and / or Rape (June 2011)
Information sharing to reduce Community Violence (Sept 2009 - updated April 2010)
ED Security
NHS Protect leads on work to identify and tackle crime across the health service. The aim is to protect NHS staff and resources from activities that would otherwise undermine their effectiveness and their ability to meet the needs of patients and professionals.
If you have security concerns you chould contact your Local Security Management Specialist (NHS Protect can help put you in touch). NHS Protect has resources to help prosecute offenders.
You can learn more about NHS Protect by visiting their website:
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Protect.aspx
and by downloading their newsletter:
Statistics: Physical assaults against NHS staff in England 2010/11
You can download posters which promote the message that violence against NHS staff is not tolerated:
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/3354.aspx
Coroners
The Ministry of Justice has produced a Guide to Coroners and Inquests and Charter for Coroner Services in England and Wales.
http://www.justice.gov.uk/coroners-burial-cremation/coroners