Security review after hospital attacks

Altnagelvin Hospital: Scene of recent attacks

Security is being stepped up at a Londonderry hospital after weekend attacks which caused damage totalling £10,000.

The trust which runs Altnagelvin Hospital says it is now considering new measures after two assaults at the Accident and Emergency department.

The incidents have been described as the "worst" in the hospital's history.

Three youths violently attacked another man on Saturday night and a patient who was receiving treatment had to come to his aid.

We are now having to very seriously consider some further security measures at night

Raymond McCartney

Some patients had to barricade themselves in a room for protection during the attack.

In another incident, a nurse was punched in the chest.

Alan McKinney an Accident and Emergency consultant in the department said access to clinical areas must be limited to help reduce attacks on staff.

"This is not a unique incident unfortunately, we have become accustomed to reporting incidents of violence in the A&E department," he said.

Deputy chief executive of the trust Raymond McCartney said that current security measures were clearly not adequate.

And he said the trust had not done enough to try to prevent the attacks to date.

Consideration

"We have made many physical changes over recent years. We restricted the entry into the casualty department to one entrance," he said.

"We have a number of air lock systems that give some sort of check on people coming in, and there's closed circuit television."

Mr McCartney also said the trust had introduced additional cover at night.

"But I think we're now having to very seriously consider, and I initiated this yesterday, some further security measures at night time."

'Unacceptable'

The RUC said they were following a definite line of inquiry with regard to the weekend incident in which a man was attacked.

A spokesperson said the police would continue to work closely with the hospital administrators in their "attempt to curb such totally unacceptable behaviour".

Attacks at the hospital came to light at the beginning of this year, when consideration was given to the recruitment of security personnel to protect staff and patients.

It followed a number incidents at the Accident and Emergency department over the Christmas period.

One doctor said medical, nursing, portering and other staff were being "regularly confronted by violent, aggressive, drunken people in the department".