A&E reception staff recognised for helping reduce violent crime

Reception staff at Addenbrooke’s A&E unit have been presented with an award in recognition of the help they have given the Cambridge Community Safety Partnership to reduce violent crime in the city centre.

 

The team have helped the city alcohol related violent crime task group identify assault hotspots by collecting information from people who are coming to the department for treatment following an attack. By gathering data on age, location, date and time, they have helped the group target resources and tackle hotspots. The number of people coming into A&E with assault-related injuries has fallen as a result, from 1,270 in 2007 to 984 in 2010.

 

 

Dr Adrian Boyle, A&E consultant and a member of the partnership’s task group, said: “We are delighted that this initiative, which has seen a number of partner organisations work together to tackle alcohol-related crime, is having a positive impact.

 

“The assault data our receptionists have collected has highlighted licensed premises which may need to be assessed while giving our police colleagues additional data to help them deploy their resources in the right place at the right time. It has also brought benefits to the public by reducing the number of people experiencing the physical and emotional impact of violent crime.

 

“We are really pleased that we are receiving this recognition from the Cambridge Community Safety Partnership and look forward to continuing to work with them on this important initiative in the future.”

 

Chief Inspector Dave Sargent, chair of the task group, said: “The emergency department has made a continual effort to engage with those individuals presenting themselves with assault related injuries identifying how, when and where that assault has taken place. This information has proved invaluable to the city alcohol related violent crime task group in planning its activities to reduce the number of such offences occurring, as we appreciate that not all violent incidents will be reported to the police.

 

“By sharing this information we have been able to develop a far more in-depth picture of violent crime in Cambridge, and be smarter when determining our response to the issues being highlighted.

 

“We felt it only right to give the emergency department reception team the recognition they deserve for contributing towards the reduction of violent crime in Cambridge.”

 

 

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