The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7472 p372
6 October 2007

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Anti-violence initiatives to receive DoH funds

Initiatives to tackle violence against NHS staff are to benefit from £97m of extra funding, the Department of Health announced last week.

The money will be spent on a range of measures, including alarms for lone workers, greater efforts to prosecute when staff are assaulted and a centralised reporting system to identify weaknesses and recommend solutions.

In addition, all NHS staff who need it will receive training in personal safety and conflict resolution, and additional staff will be trained and accredited by the NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service to lead security initiatives locally.

Stephen Lutener, head of regulation at the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, commented: “The PSNC works with the NHS CFSMS to ensure that it recognises the NHS services provided by community pharmacies, and that measures taken to safeguard NHS staff are also extended, where appropriate, to safeguarding pharmacies and their staff.”

He added: “The PSNC will continue to represent the interests of community pharmacies in discussions with the NHS CFSMS and will be discussing whether any additional support can be provided to pharmacies as a result of the announcement.”