Body camera trial in Illawarra hospitals could make violence worse, nurses say

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park announced on July 2 that security staff in nine hospitals would use body worn cameras as part of a 12-month trial, to determine how effective the technology is at deterring and de-escalating violent incidents.

But General Secretary of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Shaye Candish said there was limited evidence that having security guards wear body cameras would help.

"The reality is that patients who come into hospitals who are engaging in violent or aggressive behaviours are often patients who are drug-affected or mentally ill," she said.

"If they're not able to manage their behaviours because of their medical condition, then having a body cam turned on them is unlikely to change that.

"And if they're coming in experiencing any kind of paranoid symptoms, then there is a likelihood that being filmed actually will increase some of the behaviours that we're seeing."

Up to 300 body worn cameras will be in operation across the state during the trial, with cameras only to be switched on to record if security officers believe there is a risk of harm to staff, patients or others.

Authorities will assess whether cameras are an effective tool for security staff, with the possibility that vision could be used as evidence in prosecutions.

Ms Candish said it was highly concerning that patients could have their medical details used against them in this way.

"Sometimes people come to us on some of the worst days of their life, and there's now the prospect of having their worst day filmed," she said.

"Patient privacy is really important to be worked through here - because, for example, if you have a patient coming in behaving inappropriately and it's being caused because they have a brain tumour the prospect of that information then being used as evidence about that patient is highly concerning."

She said increasingly busy and chaotic emergency departments were creating worse environment for lots of patients, and said the government would be better investing money to fix this issue.

"The evidence is really strong that managing people who have got a tendency towards violence and aggression is best done in a low sensory environment," she said.

"That is not our emergency departments.

"We see lots of mental health patients or drug affected patients put in the waiting room or put in corridors.

"It's noisy, it's busy if and they're suffering from paranoia, hallucinations, auditory hallucinations then all of these types of interactions with other patients and with staff can exacerbate their symptoms.

"What we need to see is proper systemic reform that deals with patients waiting in emergency departments for an appropriate amount of time, and being given access to the right skilled clinicians to give them treatment, to intervene, to assess them appropriately."

"Initiatives around things like cameras don't actually do anything to provide treatment or support to that patient when they come in and need it."

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the safety of healthcare staff and patients was a priority, and the body camera trial was one way taking action to make hospitals safer.

"The trend in assaults in our hospitals is unacceptable and we are taking action," he said.

"The NSW Government has a zero-tolerance approach to violence and aggression in our public hospitals."

Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes said it was a good first step in recognising the risks security face each day in the health system.

This trial is part of the ongoing implementation of recommendations from the Anderson Review of Hospital Security.

It follows implementation of other recommendations by the NSW Government to improve hospital security including the establishment of the Safety and Security Improvement Unit within the Ministry of Health; the standardising of code black procedures; and the enhanced support for patient experience officers.

"The body worn camera trial is one of several actions NSW Health has taken to address the recommendations of the Anderson report and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to continuing to improve security practices to keep staff and patients safe," Mr Park said.