Body-worn cameras – or BDCs – are, as they sound, a camera that the user wears on their body, to record footage at the touch of a button.

For a long time, BDCs have been in use across prisons and the police force as a means to protect their staff, inmates and the public, acting as a deterrent against violence and providing evidence when a violent episode has occurred. Now, thanks to a growing number of success stories, there is the potential for this type of security device to become more widespread within the healthcare sector.

The Government certainly feels the technology can be of benefit to the NHS, with plans to invest £8m on trialling cameras for its paramedics in an attempt to reduce the number of assaults. It also feels the technology can help to speed up the prosecution process when it comes to violence against its workers by members of the public.

It is by no means a new concept within the realm of hospitals – in particular, highly secure units that manage patients with mental health issues. In 2014, cameras were used on nurses in two wards at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital in Berkshire. Not only was the footage captured deemed crucial as evidence in multiple prosecutions involving violence, but the findings also noted a reduction to the levels of anti-social and aggressive behaviour within the hospital.

One advocate for BWCs is Berrywood Hospital in Northampton. Back in 2016, they began to trial cameras on some of their staff working across five mental health wards where violence was frequent. Initially, while violence was quickly reduced in some of the wards it was not eradicated in full and some staff were unsure as to the benefits.  Over time, as both the staff and patients have become more used to the technology, the hospital has seen a significant reduction to on-ward incidents and as such, additional cameras have been acquired and the technology is now in use across the wider facility.