Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Tuesday, 14 February 2023
Personal Safety Information
Suzy Lamplugh Trust
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was established during 1986 by Paul and Diana Lamplough following their daughter’s disappearance. The charity provides useful information concerning personal safety outside of work and supports various safety campaigns. The Suzy Lamplough Trust is guided by the following core principles:
Mission. To reduce the risk of violence and aggression through campaigning, education and support.
Vision. A society in which people are safer – and feel safer – from violence and aggression; being able to live life to the full.
Outside of work and in domestic settings, current advice and support provided by the Suzy Lamplough Trust includes:
Tips for personal safety including safety at home, safety on the street and online safety
Providing a National Stalking Helpline
Applicable to work, the Northern Devon Healthcare Trusts Lone Working Policy gives reference to the Suzy Lamplough Trust. Procedures concerning buddy systems and use of lone worker safety devices (for community staff who undertake patient home visits on their own) are influenced by advice provided by the Suzy Lamplough Trust (in addition to Health and Safety Executive guidance and best practice recommendations).
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
ROSPA is a registered charity that is guided by two core principles:
Vision: Life, free from serious accidental injury
Mission: Exchanging life-enhancing skills and knowledge to reduce serious accidental injuries
ROSPA provides advice on its website cover a range of home safety topics including:
Personal Data Safety Outside of the Workplace
There are various websites that provide safety tips regards staying safe whilst on line and the importance of keeping personal information secure. Sites include:
Age UK. Staying safe online
NSPCC. Online safety
NHS. Be safe online
The following clip titled “Data to Go” questions how private is your personal information and demonstrates the importance of being mindful of how security settings on social media platforms are managed:
Duress Codes and Phoning in Sick
Community staff can use the MySOS lone worker safety device issued to them for their personal safety at any time regardless of being on or off duty. Community teams register a duress code, which if used when the safety device alarm is activated will trigger the caller handler from Skyguard effecting an emergency response without raising suspicion.
For work related lone working safety, the Trusts Lone Working Policy applies and must be followed. Further supporting information relevant to work is published on BOB including:
Community staff aside, any Ward, Department or Service could agree duress code words or phrases and procedures that could be used in circumstances such as staff calling in sick or for keeping in touch with work colleagues. Should a duress code be agreed, it is essential that all members of the team are aware of the code and know what to do should the duress code word or phrase be used during a phone conversation or upon receipt of a text message.
Personal Attack Alarms
For staff outside of work, in domestic or other settings and whilst off duty, consideration could be given to use of personal attack alarms. The Police have produced a 60 second security clip providing safety tips for carrying an attack alarm.
Personal Safety Apps
There are a number of personal safety apps that are available. One such app is provided by the Hollie Guard Charity which supports stalking and domestic violence victims:
ICE – In Case of Emergency
In 2005 a paramedic launched a national campaign to encourage people to store emergency contact details in their mobile phones. The concept was initiated following difficulties paramedics encountered trying to obtain emergency contact details from shocked and injured persons at the scene of an incident.
By entering the acronym ICE (In Case of Emergency) under contacts, users can log the name and number of a loved one they wish to be contacted in the event of an emergency. More than one contact name can be added by using ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc.
Personal emergency contacts can be added to iPhones, Android and Windows phones by downloading an app. The apps allow emergency contact details to be available even when the smartphone is locked.
Stay Safe – Run Hide Tell
Following a number of terror events, the Government and the National Police Chiefs Council have published stay safe guidance. Applicable to work, the Trusts Bomb Threat Suspect Package and Stay Safe SOP gives reference to the national stay safe information. The following clips are provided covering a range of scenarios including being on holiday:
Contacting the Police
In the event of a domestic situation or an incident that occurs outside of the workplace, the Police will respond to 999 emergency calls where:
There is an immediate risk to life or property;
Persons are at risk of suffering immediate significant harm;
It is reasonably believe a crime has or is about to be committed; and / or
Police Officer attendance is necessary to prevent a breach of the peace.
Silent 999 Calls
There may be circumstances where a 999 call is made and it is not safe to talk (for example speaking may put the caller in danger should they be heard). Should this occur the call handler will provide advice including advising the caller to press “55” on the keypad which will trigger a silent request for Police attendance.
Further information regards Silent 999 calls and the use of “55” on a keypad is available on the Devon and Cornwall Police website.
Further information relevant to contacting the Police whilst at work is published under the Security Management pages on BOB.
999 emergency – SMS/Text number
Devon and Cornwall Police provide information regards the emergency text service. Further information regarding registration of mobile phones for this service is provided on the emergency SMS website. This service is supported by the government, communications providers, emergency services, Ofcom and the RNID.
Personal Safety – Police Advice
Devon and Cornwall Police provide guidance regards a number of subjects concerning personal safety including tackling identity fraud, staying safe on nights out, safety in public places and safety information for students.
Domestic Abuse
Devon and Cornwall Police provide guidance on their website concerning domestic abuse including information regards definitions of abuse, help and support, spotting signs of abuse and how to report domestic abuse.
Clare’s Law
The domestic violence disclosure scheme, referred to as “Clare’s Law” was established following the murder of Clare Wood by her former partner, who had a record of violence against women.
The scheme gives members of the public a formal mechanism to make enquiries about an individual they are / were in a relationship with where there is a concern regards domestic violence or abuse. This is known as the “right to ask”.
Third parties (e.g. parent, neighbour, friend) can make an enquiry on behalf of a potential or existing victim as well. Enquiries can be made regarding current or ex-partners.
Further information regards Clare’s law is available on the Devon and Cornwall Police website.
CrimeStoppers
CrimeStoppers is a registered charity. It supports anyone who wishes to speak up and report crime anonymously. Their website provides keeping safe information including personal safety, community and family safety, online safety and being safe away from home.
Ask Angela
Ask Angela is a campaign that started in 2016 that is used by bars and other venues to keep people safe from sexual assault by using a codeword to identify when they are in danger or are in an uncomfortable situation. When an establishment uses this program, a person who believes themselves to be in danger can ask for Angela, a fictitious member of the staff. The staff will then help the person get home discreetly and safely by either escorting them to a different room, calling them a taxi and escorting them to it, or by asking the other party member to leave the establishment.