POLICE are to patrol Dorset County Hospital after a number of attacks on staff.

One ward sister said she had been attacked and verbally abused several times and that enough was enough.

Officers from Dorchester’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams have been working with hospital security staff to increase their presence in the area.

Scot Sherrard, security management specialist at the Dorset County Hospital Foundation Trust, said: “We have been subjected to lots of petty thieving and acts of violence in and around the trust and we rely on the police to respond to any calls we put in.

“They have now come up with this new initiative with regular patrols around the hospital.

“They will be visiting the wards looking at crime reduction on things like handbag and purse thefts and to address any misgivings.

“There will also be high visibility patrolling to make people aware that we are not going to tolerate any form of violence or aggression around the trust and cases will be dealt with and sanctions sought.”

Mr Sherrard said the cases of abuse were mostly verbal abuse towards hospital staff or ‘minor’ acts of violence and often occurred on Friday and Saturday nights.

He said: “Staff are told not to tolerate it and call myself and the police any time it happens and we will always look to put action in place.”

PC Melanie Caldow, Dorchester North Safer Neighbourhood beat manager, added: “We need to work in partnership, we receive a fair few calls regarding abuse, mainly verbal abuse, towards staff, which will not be tolerated.

“We also receive calls about purse thefts so in response we have worked together on a plan where we will be doing high visibility patrols up at the hospital, going into wards speaking with staff as well as patients and offering advice and reassurance.

“We will be looking to do those at different times of the day and in the evenings as well.”

PC Caldow said the security staff at the hospital had now been given a Shop Link radio to alert them to any trouble and security staff and porters from the hospital, a number of whom are security trained, would also be taking part in the patrols.

She added: “It is still an extremely safe environment but obviously our presence up here will reassure people and help prevent crime.”