Every day, seemingly lawful actions such as sending text or email, making phone calls, posting messages on social media sites or sending private messages can become a stalking offence if they occur twice or more and if the perpetrator knew, or ought to have known, that their actions would cause fear and alarm.
What is stalking?
The following are some examples of stalking behaviours:
Sending unwanted letters or cards
Sending unwanted emails, texts of social media posts
Making unwanted phone calls
Delivering unwanted gifts to a workplace or home
Waiting outside someone’s home or workplace
Following someone or spying on them
Sharing intimate pictures of someone, without their consent e.g. via text, on a web/social media site
Posting information, publicly about someone on web/social media sites
Making public accusations
Making threats.
Stalking can also be a form of domestic abuse. Those experiencing stalking, may also be exposed to other forms of domestic abuse too. Please see our Protection from Abuse resources for more support and guidance.
Despite its prevelance and the harm it can cause, stalking is a crime that is often not reported to the police. It is believed that people don’t report for 3 reasons:
People who experience stalking are unaware that they can get help
People who experience stalking do not have the confidence to come forward to the police
When it is reported, historically, authority figures, have not realised they are dealing with a stalking crime and have dismissed the report.
Physical, Psychological and Social Effects of Stalking
It is estimated that stalking affects approximately 1.5 million people each year. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 12 men will be affected at some point in their lifetime. It can have a very profound physical, psychological, emotional and socially traumatic effect.
Effects can include:
Physical
Sleep disturbance
Panic attacks
Increased risk of being physical attacked by stalker (Women are more at risk)
Increased risk or being killed by stalker (Women are more at risk).
Psychological and emotional
Intense feelings of fear and anxiety
Feelings of guilt and shame
Feelings of terror
Nightmares
Flashbacks
Agoraphobia
Depression
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Thoughts of hopelessness and suicide.
Social
Reluctance to leave the house
Difficulty in forming new friendships and relationships
Damaged relations with families and friends
Loss or change of Job
Having to move home
Financial ramifications and hardship.
Online and cyber-stalking
Cyber-stalking can have a very serious impacts on those who experience it. It can become a constant presence in the person’s life.
What is cyber-stalking?
Cyberstalking can include the following:
Sending unwanted messages on a social media account
Sending unwanted texts and emails
Making malicious claims about a person online
Gaining unauthorised access to online accounts – including social media, email and online bank accounts
Gaining unauthorised access to someone’s mobile phone/mobile devices so that they can track phone calls, texts and location at any given time.
This can become extremely invasive of someone’s life and they may need to make significant changes to their day to day routines and online security measures.
Where to get help
If you believe you are being cyber-stalked, it is essential that you contact Police Scotland to report this. You will also need to get expert help as quickly as possible too. The following link can help you get this support: The Cyber Helpline. Further support organisations are listed at the bottom of the page.
NHSGGC strategy for managing stalking – guidance
NHSGGC uses the following strategy to help support staff who are being stalked:
Promote the law and people’s lawful rights in relation to stalking
Identify, record and report incidents of stalking
Implement best practice in managing/reducing cyber/online stalking
Promote and adopt safety strategies
Provide signposting to NHSGGC services to support those exposed to stalking
Provide signposting to Police Scotland and third sector organisations who specialise in supporting those who are exposed to stalking.
1. Promote the law and people lawful rights in relation to stalking
The Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 makes any form or stalking a criminal offence. This can include, seemingly, harmless and subtle behaviours.
For example, a text message saying ‘you looked nice when I saw you earlier’ seems trivial, but if it is intended to cause fear and alarm (or the perpetrator should have known that it would) and it happens, at least, twice, then it can be classified as stalking and becomes a criminal offence.
(Please note – if this only happens once, it would not be counted as a stalking offence, at that stage. Instead, it would be counted as an incident of abuse and harassment under the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010) and you wold still be within your rights to report it to the police).
You always have a lawful right to report incidents of stalking (and abuse and harassment) to the Police. This is always the case, irrespective of the alleged perpetrators, personal circumstances, or other people’s opinions.
You can report any incident of stalking to the police, online, or you can contact them on 101, or 999, in the case of an emergency.
The following links can provide you with more information about your lawful rights:
NHSGGC’s Staff Witness Support Service can also provide support and information to any member of staff who may need to go to court.
2. Identify, record and report incidents of stalking
This is also called ‘building a case’. In order to do this, it is essential that you record any and all incidents where you believe a stalking incident has occurred – no matter how, seemingly, insignificant the incident may be. To do this you should keep a safe record of the following details:
When did it happen?
Where did it happen?
What happened?
Who was it?
What details do you have about the person?
How did it make you feel?
Were there any witnesses?
What did they see?
What did you do after?
Do you have any video, photo, screenshot evidence?
This app can be used to help you record any relevant details, safely and securely. It has been designed in collaboration with The Crown Prosecution Service, Police Scotland and other stakeholders including Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid, to ensure that it meets the needs of women who are being stalked and that it is compliant with Scot’s Law.
In addition the Suzy Lampugh Trust, also provides guidance, resources and apps that can help anyone record any relevant details of stalking incidents. Information about personal safety apps can be found in their ‘Help and Advice’ section
It is then essential that you report these incidents to the Police either online, via 101 or 999 (in the case if an emergency).
If incidents occur within NHS property, or is associated with your work, you should also complete a Datix incident report.
3. Implement best practice in managing/reduce cyber/online Stalking
Cyberstalking can be very traumatic and can has severe repercussions on those who experience it. It is essential that you take, immediate steps to secure your online identity and accounts. As a well as taking the steps outlined here, you should also refer to our Online and Cyber Stalking Resources page for advice.
4. Promote and adopt safety strategies
If you are being stalked, it is vital that you take steps to promote your safety. Unfortunately, these can sometimes can significant effects on your daily life and routines, but they may be needed to ensure your safety. As well as the measures already outlined here e.g. recording & reporting incidents, contacting the police and protecting your online identity you may need to consider the following: Change your daily routine Inform people you trust of your concerns Record and report incidents to the Police Change your online passwords and use a password manager to protect them Take advice from specialist services
Additionally, line managers may need to adopt flexible work patterns and arrangements for any staff member(s) who are being stalked this could include, altering the staff members start and finish times, moving them a more secure work base & giving them access to additional technology (mobile phones, alarms, Reliance devices)
This must always involve the person who is being stalked and they must be central to the decision making process.
5. Provide signposting to NHSGGC services that support those exposed to stalking
NHSGGC has a number of different services who can offer support to you if you believe you are being stalked. These are:
6. Provide signposting to Police Scotland and third sector organisations who specialise in supporting those who are exposed to stalking
As a part of NHSGGC’s commitment to supporting our staff who are being stalked, we want to establish better relationships with Police Scotland and other Third Sector organisations that specialise in supporting those affected by stalking. Part of that includes providing you with a route to access to those services. The list below are public and voluntary bodies that can provide you with expert support and guidance:
NHSGGC want all our employees to know that we take safety and well-being of our staff extremely seriously and will offer all relevant support to staff who are being, or believe they are being, stalked.
Contact the police
Wherever an employee is being stalked, or believes that they are being stalked, we want to support them to report this to the police as soon as possible.
Call the Police on 101 (or 999, in the event of an emergency)
Visit your local Police station to speak to an officer in person.
NHSGGC support
Any member of staff, who believes they are being stalked should contact the Occupational Health Service and the Health and Safety Service for advice, guidance and support.
Specialist support
The following organisations can also be contacted and will be able to offer specialist advice and support:
Clinical Handling Competency Assessment within NHSGGC
All Induction (Foundation) courses remain the same, however, rather than providing refresher training for everybody irrespective of need, a process of assessment is used to identify where additional support may be required.
Competency Assessors online recording link (This link is only for staff who are not part of the Facilities Directorate. Facilities Training and Education managers will input information directly into eESS from the tracker)
Bariatric Guidance and Equipment
Guidance
NHSGGC Moving and Handling Bariatric Guidelines contain guidance related to moving and handling plus sized (bariatric) patients.
Bariatric beds
The bariatric beds on the Clinical Therapy Bed Contract, including advice on which one to order and ordering instructions are in the resource folder. In addition to the bariatric beds, other specialist beds are also available on this contract, including low level beds and spinal beds
Arjo rental phone number to order bariatric or low-level beds 08457 342000.
NHSGGC’s patient hoists and standing aids are currently serviced every six months by contractors Drive DeVilbiss. When you go to use the hoist or standing aid, as well as your normal pre-use checks, if it does not have an up to date service sticker attached to it, please report this to your local Estates department.
NHSGGC’s patient hoists, standing aids and fabric slings are inspected as per the Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) every six months. Currently the inspections are undertaken by Allianz. When you go to use the hoist, standing aid, as well as your normal pre – use checks if it does not have an up to date inspection sticker attached to it, please take the equipment out of use and report this to your local Estates department.
Bed Maintenance Programme
NHSGGC’s patient beds are serviced annually and is currently undertaken by Drive DeVilbiss. When the bed has been serviced a label will be placed on the bed frame at the brake end.
Guidance on reporting faults to electric beds can be found here.
These Notes are developed in response to incidents that have occurred or hazards that have been identified. They are designed to be used by Local Managers to communicate key safety messages to their staff, taking no more than two minutes. They can be presented in a number of ways including at handovers, safety briefings and staff meetings. Not all Notes will be relevant to all areas.
The risk assessments are generic in that they will apply to a number of areas within NHSGGC. You can download them to be included in your ward / departments Health and Safety Management Manual. If you do so however, you must ensure that you have altered the generic principles of the risk assessment to your own specifc area, for example, you may have to take into account specifc risks associated with the environment you work in or the equipment you have access to.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are problems affecting the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves or other soft tissues and joints. The back, neck and upper limbs are particularly at risk. The aims of the NHSGGC Guidance for Managing Musculoskeletal Disorders are to:
Inform all staff of the systems in place for the prevention and treatment of MSDs
Provide guidance to Line Managers to support employees with MSDs
Occupational Hygiene is the applied science concerned with the identification, measurement, appraisal and control of physical, chemical and biological factors in the workplace which may affect the health of those at work or in the community.
Moving and handling education within NHSGGC is divided into two parts. Induction courses for employees who are new to NHSGGC and do not have a Scottish Manual Handling Passport and update education.
The requirement for an update for staff undertaking higher risk manual handling activities, is identified through competency assessment. Induction courses remain the same, however rather than providing refresher training for all staff irrespective of need, a process of competency assessment is used to identify where additional support may be required.
Booking
Nominations for all NHSGGC Moving and Handling courses to be made through eESS.
Please ensure delegate is aware of dress code for Moving and Handling Training, appropriate clothing and footwear for practical work. Class register requires payroll number or eESS ID, bring copy of this to the training day.
Attendance will be recorded on eESS. In addition local managers should keep local training records and to assist with this if a delegate does not attend the nominating person will be contacted within 24 hours to inform them of the non-attendance.
Courses
Induction for all patient handling staff new to NHSGGC
Staff should have completed Manual Handling Theory on Learnpro prior to attending the practical course, staff should bring evidence of completing module to practical training.
Practical moving and handling training is now a one day course, dates and venues available to view on eESS.
Competency Assessors course for patient handling staff
Staff who complete a one day competency assessor course will be able to carry out moving and handling assessments within ward / department.
Competency Assessors update for patient handling staff
Staff who have previously attended a one day course and require an update can attend a half day session, book through eESS.
Load Handling Training – Induction and Competency Assessor
Please request by sending details to the M & H inbox & a member of the team will be in touch to arrange a session.
Onsite Coaching
Please request through Moving and Handling teams, if requiring contact details of local teams email M & H inbox.
Health and safety is concerned with the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment and others who might be affected by the workplace environment. Policy and guidance documents for a broad range of health &and safety topics are provided via the links below.
The Health and Safety Department have developed a number of Toolbox Talks/Notes on a range of topics. These are key safety messages that are intended to be communicated by local managers to their staff (where appropriate) and recorded on the record form provided. The Toolbox Talks/Notes can be accessed below.
MDAs were introduced in England on 1 January 2003, to replace the previous types of safety warnings (Hazard Notice, Safety Notice, Device Alert, Advice Notice, Safety Notices and Pacemaker Technical Notes).
Safety Action Notices (SAN)
SANs are notices that disseminate relevant NHS England Patient Safety Alerts relating to equipment. This is to ensure that the communication is being sent to the right people and that the communication is being actioned appropriately, and does not get confused with any other Scottish initiatives.
Estates and Facilities Alerts (EFA)
EFAs started in 2010; a new format safety warning dealing with Estates and Facilities equipment, and is issued in one of two priorities: Action (standard priority) and Immediate Action (top priority).
Field Safety Notices (FSN)
FSNs are alerts received directly from equipment manufacturers.
Internal Safety Notices (ISN) and Risk Awareness Notices (RAN)
ISNs and RANs are generated from incidents that have occurred internally, and have been investigated by either the Health & Safety departments, or Risk Management department respectively.
Product Recalls (PR) and Customer Advice Notices (CAN)
PRs and CANs are alerts / recalls that have been issued from the National Procurement department of NHS Services Scotland.
The alerts can be found using the links below, they have seen split into annual pages to make them easier to find. Due to the content of some of the alerts, full details for alerts can only be seen by employees logged into the NHS Network.
There are occasions when you may require the services of an agency, bank or temporary employee. You must make them aware of any relevant health and safety arrangements within your area. Guidance is provided below and an example checklist which could be used to bring issues relative to your area to the attention of the employee at a brief induction.
NHSGGC is committed to providing a safe and effective working environment and to promoting the health, safety and well-being of patients, visitors and employees. The Alcohol and Substance Policy is designed to ensure that employees are aware of the risks associated with alcohol and/or substance misuse and the consequences, including the legal consequences, of their actions.
As Asbestos Policy and Management Plan falls within the remit of the Facilities Directorate, documentation relating to that topic is held on a different page which you can access here.
Please note, as this link is to an internal site, access will only be obtained if you are logged into an NHS networked computer.
The guidance document below explains what asbestos is, what some of the more common uses in buildings are, and how NHSGGC manages it, along with what to do if you think you have been exposed.
The Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 apply to a very wide range of substances and preparations mixtures of two or more substances – with the potential to cause harm if they are inhaled, ingested or come into contact with or are absorbed through the skin. These include individual chemical substances or preparations such as paints, cleaning materials, metals, pesticides, and insecticides. They can also be biological agents such as pathogens or cell cultures. Substances hazardous to health can occur in many forms, e.g. solids, liquids, vapours, gases, dusts, fibres, fumes, mist, and smoke.
The Chemical (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 (CHIP) was replaced by the GB CLP Regulation on 1 June 2015.Further details on CLP can be obtained by clicking here.
The Health and Safety Executive publish information on workplace exposure limits and definitions of different types of dusts, and other substances. The document is EH40/2005 Workplace exposure limits.
As Fire Safety falls within the remit of the Facilities Directorate, documentation relating to that topic is held on a different page which you can access here.
Please note, as this link is to an internal site, access will only be obtained if you are logged into an NHS networked computer.
The reporting of incidents forms part of the Risk Management Strategy. The Incident (Accident) Management page is a guide for staff on how to report incidents, including near misses and potential incidents. It covers all incidents, whether they involve patients, relatives, visitors, staff, contractors, volunteers or the general public.
We define lone workers as ‘Employees whose working activities can involve periods of time during their working day where they are without any kind of close or direct supervision or in contact with other colleagues’. The links below provides information regarding lone workers.
The assessments below have been created by Clinical Physics. They provide instruction as to whether mobile phones can or cannot be used in departments and whether further risk assessment is required.
Occupational Hygiene is the applied science concerned with the identification, measurement, appraisal and control of physical, chemical and biological factors in the workplace which may affect the health of those at work or in the community. Guidance is provided below as is the referral form for accessing the service.
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended) sets out duties to employers to ensure that PPE is:
Supplied and used at work wherever there are risks to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways
Properly assessed before use to ensure it is suitable
Maintained and stored properly
Provided with instructions on how to use it safely.
Where the use of PPE has been identified as an appropriate control measure through risk assessment, then it is the duty of staff to appropriately use the PPE as provided.
The checklist is taken from the Policy, and can be used during the selection process of PPE.
As Security falls within the remit of the Facilities Directorate, documentation relating to that topic is held on a different page which you can access here.
Please note, as this link is to an internal site, access will only be obtained if you are logged into an NHS networked computer.
Sharps are needles, blades (such as scalpels) and other medical instruments that are necessary for carrying out healthcare work and could cause an injury by cutting or pricking the skin.
Stalking is a very serious and particularly insidious crime. Unlike other crimes which are, typically ‘one-off’ events, it can persist over time (anything from weeks, to months and even years).
In line with the Criminal Justice & Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, Police Scotland define Stalking as:
“A (stalking) offence occurs when a person engages in a course of conduct on at least two separate occasions, which causes another person to feel fear or alarm, where the accused person intended, or knew or ought to have known, that their conduct would cause fear and alarm.”
Toolbox Talks are an integral component of how Local Managers communicate key safety messages to their staff. They can be used at handovers, staff meetings, huddles etc. They are developed in response to events that have occurred or identified hazards and will be added to overtime so you should check back to this page regularly.
The Record Form below should be used to record when your staff have had an opportunity to hear or read the contents of the relevant Health & Safety Toolbox Talk / Notes below. You should aim to present or distribute one Toolbox Talk / Note every few weeks, ensuring all are completed within a two yearly cycle.
Issues such as inclement weather may present a risk to your health and safety. It is important to stay safe and keep up-to-date with the latest information available which can be found below.
Slips, trips and falls
Slips, trips and falls incidents are a common occurrence during the winter months, further information can be found . Below are some points to help minimise the risk;
Staff are reminded to be vigilant when walking between buildings, in car parks, or whilst out in the community during winter months – report any defects to grounds / lighting to estates (NHS premises) or to the local authority (community) and make colleagues aware.
During periods of adverse weather staff should only undertake essential community visits / movements between sites.
It is also important that staff wear suitable footwear for the tasks they undertake and the prevailing the weather conditions. Additional personal protective equipment (PPE) can be worn when required, information can be found here.
Facilities management or caretaker staff will grit / maintain external areas of NHS premises. It is important to ensure each premises has a plan in place for this. Further advice for community based services / sites is available here.
A slips, trips & falls risk assessment should be in place for our community based services and premises, examples are provided – here (available only to those logged on to NHSGGC).
Driving in Winter
Driving conditions will be more of a challenge during the winter months due to low temperatures (ice /snow), rain and wet road surfaces, reduced visibility due to fog and more hours of darkness – particularly during ‘rush hour’. The following links below provide guidance on driving in winter:
If you are a manager and your staff group are expected to drive to premises (e.g. patient’s homes, other sites etc.) away from their base on a regular basis then it is your responsibility to ensure this is taken into consideration during the risk assessment process for lone working / domiciliary visits. Information, guidance and example risk assessments for our community based services and premises can be found here (available only to those logged on to NHSGGC).
It is also important to keep up-to-date with travel information and the weather forecast. The use of the radio and social media such as twitter will help with this, below are links to useful websites as well:
MDAs were introduced in England on 1 January 2003, to replace the previous types of safety warnings (Hazard Notice, Safety Notice, Device Alert, Advice Notice, Safety Notices and Pacemaker Technical Notes).
Safety Action Notices (SAN)
SANs are notices that disseminate relevant NHS England Patient Safety Alerts relating to equipment. This is to ensure that the communication is being sent to the right people and that the communication is being actioned appropriately, and does not get confused with any other Scottish initiatives.
Estates and Facilities Alerts (EFA)
EFAs started in 2010; a new format safety warning dealing with Estates and Facilities equipment, and is issued in one of two priorities: Action (standard priority) and Immediate Action (top priority).
Field Safety Notices (FSN)
FSNs are alerts received directly from equipment manufacturers.
Internal Safety Notices (ISN) and Risk Awareness Notices (RAN)
ISNs and RANs are generated from incidents that have occurred internally, and have been investigated by either the Health & Safety departments, or Risk Management department respectively.
Product Recalls (PR) and Customer Advice Notices (CAN)
PRs and CANs are alerts / recalls that have been issued from the National Procurement department of NHS Services Scotland.
The alerts can be found using the links below, they have seen split into annual pages to make them easier to find. Due to the content of some of the alerts, full details for alerts can only be seen by employees logged into the NHS Network.
The reporting of accidents and incidents within NHSGGC will enable the safety performance of the organisation to be monitored and allow statistics relative to the accidents and incidents occurring to be compiled. These statistics will provide information about the hazards that employees, patients, visitors and others encounter on Division premises and ensure that suitable precautions can be taken to minimise these hazards and prevent a recurrence of an incident that has already caused or could potentially cause injury.
The incident report is a primary tool for collecting data about an incident, analysing the data, and translating the information into a strategy for change.
Datix is the software used by NHSGGC for clinical and non-clinical incident reporting (and managing complaints and legal claims) and forms part of the Risk Management Strategy. It is a web-based application that allows any staff member with access to Staffnet to report an incident
All Incidents (Clinical and non-Clinical) within your Directorate should now be reported though the Datix System, rather than using paper forms. For further information please use the link below.
