Violence Reduction Officer

Job overview

London Ambulance Service NHS Trust was the first service nationally to build a dedicated The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU). The VRU sits within the Health, Safety & Security Department under the Finance Directorate.

We are seeking to expand the VRU team to support the Trusts response to violence aggression and abuse against our staff and drive workstreams to prevent and rescue violence aggression and abuse. We are seeking individuals who have current demonstrable experience Healthcare or emergency services rolls with the passion and drive to support staff who have been victims of violence, aggression or abuse.

Main duties of the job

To review all violence & aggression incident reports in area of responsibility. Establishing facts and determining if there are criminal offences.

To maintain and update violence reduction logs and data trackers.

Be first point of contact for the VRU, providing support/signposting to welfare networks & encourage police reporting where appropriate.

Assist the Violence Reduction Manager in police liaison and investigations, in order to act on behalf of the victim with the progression of individual cases.

To provide guidance and information to staff in regards to attending court and witness Care.

Assist the Violence Reduction Manager in obtaining and coordinating the gathering of complex and sensitive data for internal external stakeholder meetings.

To work with managers, staff and staff side to identify and implement initiatives for preventing reducing incidents of violence aggression and abuse in line with the Trust strategy for violence.

Assist with the development and delivery of training and awareness to all levels of staff within the Trust where appropriate.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To support the Health, Safety and Security team reviewing policies, procedures, guidance and initiatives to raise awareness and foster a culture that encourages reporting, action and learning from violent and aggressive incidents.
• Contribute to any annual assessment process related to violence reduction and the ongoing work plan to comply with NHS England’s Violence Prevention & Reduction Standard.
• To support the work to increase levels of prosecutions against the perpetrators of crimes against LAS staff, by encouraging victims of violence to report incidents on Radar and to the police.
• Assist the Violence Reduction Manager in obtaining and coordinating the gathering of complex and extremely sensitive data for external stakeholder meetings.
• Work as a specialist advisor within the Health, Safety & Security Team, help coordinate and provide support across all aspects of the violence reduction function.
• To be the first point of contact with the Violence Reduction Unit following a Radar report relating to violence and aggression by responding to the victim, and/or management.
• Receive complex and possibly distressing information.
• Analyse complex information, using negotiating and influencing skills to advise on the application, interpretation and monitoring of health and safety legislation and criminal law relating to violence and aggression affecting the LAS.
• Undertake analysis of data using own judgement to identify and assess different and complicated strands of information to ensure that the integrity of incident data that is captured on the Trust’s Datix system is of a high quality to ensure robust reporting by the Health, Safety and Security department on a regular basis.
• To work with managers, staff and staff side to identify and implement initiatives for reducing levels of violence related incidents, and basing these on evidence and staff engagement.
• To support the Health, Safety & Security Team’s Violence Reduction Unit to ensure that violence and abuse incidents are publicised appropriately in accordance with guidelines so that a deterrent effect is created and maintained.
• Support the Health, Safety and Security team across all aspects of the function.
• To review and update incident Radar reports, ensuring that violent incidents have been reported and investigated in accordance with the Incident Reporting Procedure, and if requested, provide support and advice to the investigating manager.
• To analyse incident data and risk assess to identify lessons and actions for dissemination so that appropriate preventative measures can be developed.
• To support the coordination and reporting of all physical assault incidents to NHS England and/or AACE.
• To provide advice and guidance about attending court and Witness Care.
• To coordinate and provide witness statements, victim personal statements or other evidence as required in support of a criminal prosecution.
• To review and update Health, Safety and Security trackers used to monitor outcomes related to incidents of violence, abuse and security.
• Provide a regular update report on a monthly basis, or as required, on the levels of violent incident and criminal investigation outcomes.
• Identify trends and assist in the development of training to support the Violence Reduction Programme.
• Support the provision of Security activities across the Trust in relation to violence reduction.
• Support the analysis, monitoring and reporting of health, safety and security incidents and assist with the production of departmental or Trust-wide reports.
• Support the provision of security advice, training and information to managers and staff in relation to violence reduction.
• Assist with the development and delivery of health and safety related violence reduction management training to all levels of staff within the Trust, on Induction and refresher sessions.
• Assist with the development of any additional training materials such as quick reference guides, newsletters and bulletins.
• Support the coordination and running of meetings and working groups related to the Trust’s Violence Reduction & Staff Safety Programme.
• Participate in working groups to advise on policy, and propose changes to Trust policy as required.
• Coordinate and support in the review and development of Trust health, safety and security policies and procedures.
• Monitor compliance against policies and associated documents and develop and implement actions to address potential areas of non-compliance.
• To support the Health, Safety and Security team in developing procedure and policy that will encourage a culture where violence, security and stress related incidents are openly reported, and acted upon by LAS managers, and then to monitor compliance and effectiveness.
• To represent the interests of the LAS in ensuring crimes against the organisation are reported and investigated by the police.

Previous candidates need not apply.