The Chief Constable of Dorset, James Vaughan, has given his approval for them to join the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS).

CSAS is a voluntary scheme, under which chief constables can choose to accredit people working in roles within the community that contribute to maintaining and improving safety, with limited but targeted powers.  The scheme will be used at RBH to help tackle antisocial behaviour and public disorder, promoting a safe and welcoming environment for patients, visitors and staff.

Malcolm Keith, Counter Terrorism Prevention lead, and Nick Williams, porters’ department manager, both undertook the year-long programme consisting of theory and practical training days, along with six porter supervisors, to better support the Trust in its responsibilities for health, safety and security.

Delegated powers given to the group by the Chief Constable of Dorset will enable them to work more closely with local uniformed police, and to report individuals for certain breaches of law relevant to an acute hospital setting.

Malcolm Keith said, “Whilst the initial scheme was set up to better support the Trust during the proposed merger and planned expansions across all hospital sites, it has also started to impact on the way we are able to maintain and improve safety and security during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are fortunate to have a dedicated police officer working with us in PC Aaron Dey, and with his backing and support we expect to grow as a team within the CSAS model.”