NHS Lone Worker Service contract awarded to Reliance Hi-Tech10 May 2013 NHS Protect, which provides support and guidance to the NHS on the protection of staff, has retained Reliance High-Tech to supply its NHS framework Lone Worker Service. Used by over 40,000 healthcare staff in England, the service includes a small personal device manufactured by Identicom which allows staff to signal discreetly for assistance should they feel vulnerable or distressed when working alone. For infrequent working alone, a smartphone version is also available. The service helps protect NHS staff from violence or abuse and allows action to be taken against those who have committed assaults. This helps deliver healthy and safe working conditions and an environment free from harassment, bullying or violence, in line with the NHS Constitution. A comprehensive training package makes sure NHS staff are fully equipped to make good use of this system. A permanently manned monitoring centre that is BS 5979 Category II approved can be contacted using GSM, SMS and GPS technology. After a “red alert” is received, trained Reliance Protect operators listen to and capture recordings of everything that takes place during an incident, and respond appropriately — including calling out the emergency services, alerting colleagues/supervisors and archiving recordings for any legal action. The system and quality of recordings means they are admissible in court. As well as the continually staffed monitoring and help desk, users of the all-inclusive package receive face-to-face training, all airtime and customer management support and reporting. BS8484 accreditation ensures alarms are escalated to the police, where warranted, through the new dedicated police lone worker Unique Reference Number (URN) system, guaranteeing those alarms are passed to the police in the shortest time possible.
|
|||