Body-worn cameras will be strapped to staff during their shifts at public hospitals across the state in a bid to crack down on rising rates of violent assaults.
The government is working out exactly how to balance the use of the cameras with patient privacy. Under the plans, security guards will hit the record button only if they believe there is a risk of harm to staff or patients. “The safety of our healthcare staff and patients is a priority, and the NSW government has a zero-tolerance approach to violence and aggression in our public hospitals.”He pointed to increased substance abuse among some people that had made them more likely to lash out.