AQW 1493/17-22

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 04/02/2020
Answered On Date: 19/02/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health what action he will take to stop sex crimes taking place in hospitals.

Answer:

Each Trust has protocols in place to prevent sex crimes taking place in hospitals.

Examples of measures in place include – security personnel on hospital sites to ensure a safe and secure environment that protects patients, staff and visitors; CCTV surveillance equipment; the use of chaperones for outpatient procedures and during intimate examinations; access control systems to restrict access to certain areas; lone worker policies; pre-employment checks of staff and the requirement that all staff comply with extant Child Safeguarding Policies, Procedures and Operational arrangements.

In addition, all Trusts have nominated Health and Social Care Trust Public Protection Principal Officers under The Public Protection Arrangements Northern Ireland (PPANI). This refers to the system where there is a proactive multi-agency and multi-disciplinary approach to help protect the public from serious harm posed by certain sexual or violent offenders. This is a legislative requirement.