ROYAL Bournemouth Hospital bosses have hit back against criticisms of its security measures.

The chief executive of Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital Trust, Tony Spotswood, and director of service delivery, John Morton, spoke out at a meeting of the borough's caring for people scrutiny panel.

As reported in the Daily Echo, a previous meeting of the scrutiny panel had heard a porter make allegations about a frightening lack of security at Royal Bournemouth Hospital. He said that staff were considering industrial action over the issue.

The porter claimed the hospital had no dedicated security budget and that vulnerable patients regularly went missing from the hospital.

Mr Morton told the meeting: "We do have a security budget."

He added that most of the problems of violence were down to elderly patients with dementia.

He said: "Hospitals cannot be violence-free.

"While we have a no-tolerance policy in A & E, we can't do that with others.

"People can be violent and aggressive because of their illness. These are the majority of incidents that occur.

"It could be on a health worker, visitor or nurse. When that happens we have to make sure all the people involved have a degree of training."

Mr Morton described the allegation that a patient had gone missing from hospital and ended up in Southampton as having "no foundation".

He added: "We are not a security hospital or a mental health unit. Patients are free to come and go."

Inspector Mark Kelly, of the police's Bournemouth East section, said hospitals could make use of acceptable behaviour contracts for people causing problems. These had proved a "success" in other areas, he told the meeting.

He added: "Royal Bournemouth Hospital is not a crime hotspot. I think everything that can be done is being done within reason."

Cllr Bill Mason, Bournemouth council's cabinet member for caring for people, asked: "What about people coming in with challenging behaviour who have to stay overnight. What are your arrangements?"

Mr Morton replied: "If there are security issues then we will get additional support from prison officers or police."

The meeting agreed to accept the oral reports and asked for an update in six months' time.

First published: May 24