Emergency departments in desperate need of training to manage violent patients

    Rise in mental health conditions putting additional pressures on the healthcare practitioners

      • Sector News
    • 02.08.21

    Emergency departments (EDs) are increasingly having to manage violent, aggressive or agitated patients and are responsible for preventing patients from absconding when they are deemed a risk to themselves or others.

    Yet, there are increasing concerns over the variability of provision and standards of security in circumstances where patients may require restraint.

    In December 2020 the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) published the results of a survey that asked ED clinicians about their experience of managing violent and behaviorally disturbed patients in their departments, and specifically what security services were available to support them.

    The results showed a striking lack of consistency and standards across trusts with ED staff and patients being subjected to frequent potential harm. Altogether:

    • 98% of respondents reported that their ED had felt unsafe due to agitated or violent patient behaviour
    • 32% reported that their ED felt unsafe on a daily or weekly basis

    As a result of the survey, the RCEM recommended that: 

    • There is an urgent need for national standards for security services for acute hospitals. This should involve specifying the numbers of staff, training and skills required.
    • Training in conflict resolution should be mandatory for all ED staff as well as the opportunity to undertake training in breakaway techniques.
    • Security staff in an acute hospital should have training in mental health as well as safe restraint and legal basis for restraint. They should be familiar with NICE guidance for violence and aggression and be able to safely restrain a patient at risk to facilitate rapid tranquillisation. This process should be led by a clinician.
    • Acute trusts should have effective policies for zero tolerance of violence and aggression against staff. This should include the use of security to protect staff and patients, steps to exclude patients if they are a significant risk to others and appropriate reporting and use of the criminal justice system.

    Doc Player: RCEM National Survey on Security and Restraint in the Emergency Department. December 2020
    NHS Digital: Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2020: Wave 1 follow up to the 2017 survey
    The Health Foundation: Latest data highlights a growing mental health crisis in the UK

    Maybo perspective

    There is a growing mental health crisis in the UK, with rates doubling since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This means that it is essential that NHS staff are adequately trained in how best to manage patients with mental health conditions or patients that may become violent, aggressive or agitated.

    To learn more about our training for NHS staff click here.

    Get in touch

    If you would like to discuss how we can help you please get in touch with one of our experts today

    Related ThoughtSpace items

    • Maybo News
    • Sector News

    11.03.23 | Social Care | Healthcare, …

    Maybo Training Services re-certified by BILD ACT

    We’re proud to announce that following successful completion of our 3-year review, Maybo training services have been re-certified by the...

    • Maybo News
    • Expert Insights

    10.02.23 | Employee intro

    Please welcome New Zealand trainer Thomas Sullivan

    Learn more about Thomas Sullivan, Maybo Trainer and human rights advocate. Thomas takes us on a journey through his past roles,...

    • Case Studies

    09.01.23 | Client review |

    How Maybo and Māori values are combined to care for young people at risk

    In order to better understand the impact of Maybo training through the eyes of the customer, we talked to Jon Stoddart, the Operations...

    Discuss your training with one of our experts