Effective Communication for V&A Reduction

Board: Fife

Theme: Violence and Aggression

Contact: Ian Flynn, NHS Fife Police Liaison Officer

NHS Fife Violence and Aggression Group has identified reducing and ultimately eradicating violence and aggression towards healthcare staff as a local priority. A multi-media campaign titled Effective Communication for V&A Reduction ran during 2009-10 to raise awareness of violence and aggression. A DVD for healthcare staff was produced in collaboration with Kinetic Group, Buckhaven Community Theatre, Buckhaven

Positives:

• The DVD will be available to all staff and will be of particular relevance to lone workers and staff working in areas where there is a relatively high risk of violence and aggression e.g. mental health, A&E and general practice
• The DVD will encourage discussion about good communication between staff, patients, relatives and other healthcare providers
• Raise awareness of communication issues
• Raise awareness of available support networks
• Raise awareness of broader community safety issues and their impact on the NHS

Challenges:

• There were some problems agreeing the scenario that included the involvement of community and acute based staff
• There were concerns raised when the main characters had strong west coast accents and a fear this may be seen as typecasting. However, through careful editing of the final version this has been greatly reduced

Suitable for national roll out:

• The DVD can be readily used in other Health Boards albeit based in Fife
• Other than being based in Fife it is otherwise non-specific to Fife

For further information on the project please contact Inspector Ian Flynn, NHS Fife Police Liaison Officer, on 01592 643355 ext: 8166 or ian.flynn@nhs.net