Commissioned by the Department of Health, the year-long project (entitled ‘Reducing Violence and Aggression in A&E by Design’) is being run by the Design Council and will involve designers, architects, healthcare experts, patients and frontline NHS staff working together to develop and trial potential solutions.
Underpinning the whole project, the Design Council has launched a national search for a design team (or teams) to work with A&E staff and patients at three NHS Hospital Trusts – Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The winning designers will then be tasked with developing a variety of innovative solutions to give patients, visitors and staff alike a better and safer experience in A&E Departments.
It’s envisaged that solutions will include:
Scale of the A&E problem
Violence and aggression in A&E Departments in the UK is estimated to cost at least GB pound 69 million1 every year in staff absence, loss of productivity and the need for spend on additional security.
An NHS staff survey from the CQC in 2009 revealed that 11% of staff experienced physical violence from patients or their families in the previous year. Figures from the NHS Security Management Service also show that the number of reported physical assaults against staff is on the rise across the NHS.
In 2009-2010 there were over 150 physical assaults reported per day on healthcare staff (and a total of 56,718 physical assaults in England alone).
The problem is particularly difficult to handle, of course, in the complex and often high pressure environment of A&E.
Working in fear: it’s not acceptable
Commenting on the Design Council project, Sir David Nicholson (chief executive of the NHS) said: “NHS staff save lives every day, and are fully committed to providing the best possible service to patients. It’s completely unacceptable for them to be assaulted or have to work in fear of being physically or verbally abused.”
Nicholson went on to state: “There’s a substantial financial and human cost to violence against staff, and I very much look forward to seeing the results of this project which will help A&E Departments become calmer, safer and more productive environments.”
As far as Nicholson’s concerned, anything which can help to diffuse difficult situations, demand mutual respect or reduce the pressure on busy staff is “a welcome addition towards building a modern NHS” that’s centred on high quality patient care.
Lord Bichard, chairman of the Design Council, commented: “Design is now recognised by the Department of Health as having the potential to develop new solutions to difficult problems within the National Health Service. This is a great opportunity for designers to really make a difference to staff and patients and, hopefully, save some money.”
Better design equals reduced violence
‘Reducing Violence and Aggression in A&E by Design’ follows on from the success of similar interventions by the Design Council and the NHS to improve patient privacy and dignity and reduce MRSA and C. difficile.
Professor Matthew Cooke, the national clinical director for urgent and emergency care at the Department of Health, explained: “As an A&E consultant I have witnessed at first hand the effects of violence on colleagues. Verbal abuse is a daily occurrence and, unfortunately, physical violence against staff is not a rarity.”
He continued: “This violence also increases the anxiety of other patients and their families in A&E at a time when they need a calm atmosphere to aid their recovery from illness or injury.”
In conclusion, Professor Cooke said: “Better design can help reduce violence and reduce its adverse effects. I look forward to seeing the results of this project. I’m sure those results will not only make work safer for my colleagues, but also enable us to provide better care for our patients.”
Financial and human cost
Teams will be invited to submit a proposal on how they would approach the challenge, with solutions which will offer good value for money, and could significantly reduce the financial and human cost of violence against staff.
Designers have already proved that re-designing aspects of A&E Departments can reduce violence and aggression against staff.
In turn, this brings a variety of benefits including:
While these have been specific to the hospitals in which they have been trialled, the innovations emerging from this latest project are intended to be universally applicable, with an ambition to roll-out the new solutions across England’s hospitals.
Closing date for entries: 4 April
The closing date for entries is 4 April, with shortlisted entries to be announced on the 18 April. The winning designs will be showcased in October.
To help in the development process, the Design Council has recruited an Advisory Board of highly respected designers, clinicians, NHS managers, healthcare experts, staff and patients’ organisations to advise the winning teams during the design and development phase.
The Design Council places design at the heart of growth and renewal in Britain. As one of the world’s leading design institutions, it presents a unified voice for a broad spectrum of design, architecture and public space, placing good design at the heart of social and economic renewal.
In essence, the Council demonstrates how design can help build a stronger economy and improve everyday life through practical projects with industry, public services and education.
To see the design briefs access the Council’s website (a link is provided on the right hand panel of this page)
You can find out more information and statistics on violence against NHS staff by viewing the NHS SMS’ website (again, a link is provided opposite)
