Hospitals are supposed to be places of calm and healing, yet they are often common targets for theft, violence, and other forms of criminal activity. For this reason, many health facilities need a security plan. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the 3 top security threats that many hospitals have to deal with every single day.
Violence
The rate of violent crime in Australian hospitals is increasing year upon year. In fact, in some areas, that means a 50% rise. It’s thought the causes correspond with the spike in waiting times, overcrowding, and the increase in drink-related problems. As a result hospital and health care employees are often the victim of verbal and physical attacks. For this reason, many hospitals make use of video surveillance equipment in order to keep a close eye on both staff and patients under their care. In addition, and because of the rise in violence, many hospitals now have a physical security presence, so that if anything does happen, perpetrators can be dealt with quickly.
Drug Theft
While petty theft and low-level criminal activity have been common denominators of everyday life in hospitals and healthcare centres for many years, perhaps what’s more worrying is the recent rise in the theft of medications. Experts suggest that as well as leading to drug shortages, the theft of drugs is costing the healthcare industry millions of dollars every year. Despite the fact that many hospitals have strict controls in place with regards to the control and administration of drugs (particularly Opioids), it hasn’t stopped many hospitals from falling victim.
Disorderly Conduct
In a healthcare setting, it’s true that even non-violent disorderly conduct may have disastrous consequences. If doctors, nurses, and members of staff are having to spend a great deal of their time controlling patients, it can have a knock-on effect on those who really need care. By implementing a network of CCTV surveillance and on-site security personnel, hospitals and health care centres may find it easier to nip any problems in the bud fast before they escalate out of hand.
It’s imperative given the situations above that hospitals have an up to date, workable security plan and for many premises, that means bringing in a reliable security team. This is where we can help. At MA Security, we provide highly experienced security personnel for a wide range of events, industries, and individuals, so if you’d like to ramp up your security, then give us a call on 1300 020 406 and talk to our expert team today.
