Over the past few months many of you have contacted me to raise concerns over certain types of jobs that we are being sent to where the Police are now refusing to attend and provide assistance due to their own internal restrictions.
You have raised concerns around being asked to ‘proceed with caution’, and perform your own ‘dynamic risk assessment’ once on scene. Many of you have stated to feeling uncomfortable with this as there has been no training around self defence, what the law states you can or cannot do within the realms of self defence, and importantly if in a hostile situation the correct process or procedure for restraining a patient if they are deemed to not have capacity.
There has been a national increase in the incidents we attend where violence or weapons have been reported (and often used) and with the recent ‘terrorist’ events of Westminster fresh in everyone’s minds the question surrounding the issue and use of stab vests has once again risen from within.
As a member lead Union and branch we wish to gauge much more widely the concerns that some of you have raised so therefore ask for you to participate in the short survey (may need to copy and paste the below link)
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TMMZDXN
Posted: 5th April 2017