Vertical Markets

Training package

by Mark Rowe

Carlisle Support Services has new training for security officers employed in the healthcare sector.

The contract company has teamed up with healthcare security trainer Jim O’Dwyer of AEGIS Protective Services, to produce a bespoke, ‘role-specific’ training programme for all Carlisle security personnel deployed in NHS settings. The new programme, mirrors the ‘Top-Up’ training specification approved by officers from the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS) and Skills for Security (SfS).

Jim O’Dwyer says that the knowledge base and skill-set required by healthcare security officers is much broader than that provided by standard SIA training. Hence a training deficit, and the new Carlisle Healthcare Security training. The syllabus covers:

•NHS security strategy
•Patient focus
•Healthcare-related legislation
•Communication skills
•Managing disputes
•Hand hygiene
•Patrolling healthcare sites
•Recognising signs of mental ill health and learning difficulties
•Awareness of clinically related challenging behaviour (CRCB)
•Self-harm awareness
•Safeguarding vulnerable patients
•Dealing with missing persons and patients
•Lock-down procedures
•Dealing with lost and found property
•Searching people, property and vehicles
•Procedures for prisoners attending healthcare sites; and
•Dealing with prohibited items.

Adrian Canale, Sector Director at Carlisle, pictured, said: “Healthcare security and safety is a constant balancing act between securing the facility and offering an open and caring welcome. These environments are presented with unique challenges and associated risks, including threats of infant abductions, assaults against staff, visitors, patients, violent behaviour and vandalism to property. Taking these factors into account, it’s clear that security and emergency management within the healthcare sector can differ significantly from assignments within the government, institutional, financial and commercial areas.

“Carlisle have aligned our values to deliver on a promise-based culture to become experts in the sectors we work in. Our business propositions are therefore built around our people, their development and most of all, the training of our staff that must be tailored to each specific need, risk and requirements of our clients. The Healthcare sector continually faces increasing demands and associated risks due to its population and the community is serves. The ability to therefore identify, understand challenging behaviour and prevention strategies form a major part of a security officer’s role each day.

“Carlisle have teamed with AEGIS to develop a comprehensive training package designed around the key risks faced by staff, visitors and patients within a hospital environment. The training has been designed to educate, develop and deliver against, changing standards in all aspects, from mental health awareness to dealing with conflict and healthcare legislation. We are confident that our staff deployment within these locations have a true understanding of the associated risks and are able to deal will any situation or incident that may occur during their working day.”

And Jim O’Dwyer, Senior Consultant at AEGIS said: “A Healthcare Security Officer role demands a never-ending ability to keep calm, composed and professional when dealing with people in highly emotional and stressful circumstances. I’m aware that many NHS Trusts (and staff) share a common concern, based on experience, that contracted in security staff might not fully appreciate the importance of ‘patient focus’ and, through lack of understanding, i.e. suitable training, may display the wrong attitude and approach when carrying out their duties. So, I’m sure it’ll be very re-assuring for them to know that the training that will be delivered to all Carlisle security staff employed in healthcare settings matches the ‘Top Up’ training specification approved by experts from the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS). The course provides a module on ‘Patient Focus’ and the message is constantly reinforced throughout the programme. Importantly, trainees learn how to recognise the signs, symptoms and characteristics of people with mental ill health and learning difficulties. The training also develops understanding of Clinically Related Challenging Behaviour (CRCB) and the best de-escalation strategies to employ to reduce risk.”

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