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SOLOPROTECT REDUCES COST OF IDENTICOM TO HELP NHS TRUSTS MEET DUTY TO LONE WORKERS

Connexion2, manufacturer of the award-winning Identicom™ lone worker device, today announces its support of the RCN’s survey findings, by offering NHS Trusts reduced costs on its SoloProtect lone worker solution.

In March 2005 the then Health Secretary of State, John Reid, stated he would “do everything within my power to stop NHS staff suffering from violence and abuse” and would provide lone workers with the Identicom system which records verbal abuse for use in court and can support lone workers with quick assistance from the police.Two years on, only three percent of trusts have provided their workers with the Identicom personal security system.

Now a survey released by the Royal College of Nursing has highlighted that more than one third of nurses working alone have been assaulted or harassed in the last two years.The survey, conducted amongst 1,000 nursing staff found that over half (52%) of nurses working alone thought that the level of threat of violence or abuse has increased over the same period.

“Connexion2’s Identicom device is the only product on the market that truly meets the needs of lone working health professionals and also addresses the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guidelines, which explicitly rule out the use of mobile phones,” said Craig Swallow, CEO of Connexion2.“Connexion2 wants to help all NHS Trusts meet the needs of its lone workers but also reduce the associated risks and costs to the Trust.”

Following the launch of the report, Connexion2 has made the decision to offer the SoloProtect package, which includes Identicom together with 24/7 manned monitoring service, all mobile network costs and training, to NHS Trusts, for a heavily reduced rate of £24.50 per month (normally £29.50) which equates to just 80p per day for total peace of mind.Connexion2 is making this offer available until the end of December 2007.

“Enabling the worker to raise a discreet alert and ensure the capture of credible audio evidence is only part of it; Identicom also engenders a culture of dynamic risk assessment which is important so that workers think about their actions”, concluded Craig Swallow.“Our objective is to work with NHS Trusts to deliver an environment that is safe and secure so that the highest standards of clinical care can be made without workers having to be concerned for their own safety”.

The Home Office estimates that it costs in the region of £20,000 to investigate an assault on nursing staff and in addition there are costs for time off work, stress, lost productivity, loss of service continuity, insurance and the costs of defending litigation.The SoloProtect package has been specifically designed to help combat these problems.Easy to use by nursing staff as and when required, Identicom not only provides peace of mind to nurses but also will help NHS Trusts retain staff and meet health and safety legislation.Ends