Hospital security guard sacked after using 'disproportionate force' to stop patient leaving

The incident was the source of the only formal complaint received by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) in relation to security in 2022/23.

The trust’s board of directors was presented with the annual security report – which also revealed a rise in the total number of security incidents – at a meeting on Thursday.

Detailing the complaint, the report said: “One formal complaint was made by a patient regarding alleged inappropriate use of force by a security guard when the patient was attendant at the Princess Royal Hospital A&E.

“On review of CCTV video the security guard was found to have used disproportionate force whilst preventing the patient (who at that point had not been discharged) from leaving.

“The security guard was subsequently dismissed by his parent company and a full and unreserved apology made to the patient.”

According to the report, there were 1,097 security incidents recorded over the time period, an increase on the 805 in 2021/22 and 725 in 2020/21.

Of that total, 696 incidents happened at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and 394 were at the Princess Royal Hospital, while seven were off site.

They included 115 incidents of ‘intentional and inexcusable’ violence or aggression, of which 29 involved physical contact. Of these, 15 were against hospital staff.

The report said incidents of this nature were linked to patients’ records to alert staff to the possible risk of aggression in future.

It said: “A warning letter, signed by the chief operating officer, is sent to the perpetrator of the adverse behaviour and copied to the victim and police, advising that non-emergency treatment could be withdrawn if there are any further episodes and support for police action or civil action by the trust.”

The report said 51 such letters were sent during the year, and only three perpetrators came to further attention of the trust, “thereby giving some assurance as to the effectiveness of warning letters and the importance of challenging unacceptable behaviour”.

An additional 363 incidents of violence or aggression were recorded in which the perpetrator was deemed to lack capacity and was therefore not held responsible, due to medical conditions such as dementia. Of these, 216 involved physical contact – including 201 against hospital staff.

There were also 399 incidents where staff reported concerns about potential aggression but these were de-escalated.

The remaining 220 security incidents were recorded as ‘non-aggression’, including seven incidents of theft or alleged theft of trust property, 46 thefts of other property, 26 of property damage and 141 ‘other’.

Among the total number of incidents were seven which happened off site. They included verbal abuse of patient engagement staff at an event in Oswestry town centre, verbal abuse of a midwife on a home visit, also in Oswestry, a set of office keys lost at Shrewsbury Business Park and the potential compromise of a trust credit card and PIN number.

The report said the trust would always support police and court action, and cited a number of examples over the year. They included a woman who was jailed for assaulting a nursing sister in the emergency department at PRH, and a man who was fined after pleading guilty to causing a nuisance or disturbance at RSH.

Sarah Biffen, SaTH's acting chief operating officer, said: “The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is committed to ensuring a safe environment for staff and patients so that the highest possible standard of care can be delivered.

“To this end security remains a key priority within the development and delivery of health services.

“All of those working within the trust have a responsibility to assist in preventing security related incidents or losses. This approach underpins and directly links to the trust’s values and objectives.”