Dealing with the police.

The majority of accident and emergency (A&E) departments have a good working relationship with the police, based on a mutual understanding of the conflicts which arise from the need, on one hand, to treat patients with confidentiality and on the other hand, the role of the police in maintaining law and order. In A&E work we need police help for many reasons, not least of which is staff and patient protection against violent crime and abusive behaviour. Although many trusts have internal security arrangements, back up from the police is essential. We also use the police to help trace relatives and break bad news, particularly when the next of kin live in a different part of the country. They are able to give information regarding accidents or injuries, which helps the resuscitation of patients with major or multiple injuries. They also facilitate interhospital transfer by measures such as traffic control and have a key role in disaster planning and implementation.