A new initiative has made one of NHS Lanarkshire’s mental health wards significantly safer for patients and staff.

The pioneering interventions on Iona Ward at Beckford Lodge in Hamilton have led to an impressive 66 per cent reduction in violent and aggressive incidents in the first two years of the programme.

Mental health staff nurse Suzanne Urquhart, who is based in the low secure forensic inpatient ward for male patients, said: “We’ve been working with the Scottish Patient Safety Programme to reduce the levels of violence and aggression.

“They can be highly prevalent as patients can be very acutely unwell. This potentially makes the ward feel like an unsafe place, which can have a negative effect on the care provided.

“We’re delighted the interventions we have put in place have led to a reduction in violent and aggressive incidents by 66 per cent.”

The ward is a lot safer now for patients, staff and visitors. Patients are able to receive an enhanced level of care and treatment, which benefits the healthcare system as a whole as it provides a mutual respect between inpatients and staff and can lead to shorter and more beneficial admissions to hospital.

Changes the ward introduced included:

• A multi-disciplinary approach to post-incident reviews of violent incidents/restraints;

• A contingency plan to understand and manage each patient’s triggers to violence/aggression;

• A safety brief which promotes dynamic risk assessment throughout the day and night;

• Patient contribution via a joint patient/advocacy forum.