UK HOSPITAL ADDS CCTV TO PROTECT AGAINST COMPUTER THEFTRedNova News - Health - Hospital's Pounds 160,000 CCTV Bill to Beat ThievesHospital's Pounds 160,000 CCTV Bill to Beat Thieves
HOSPITAL bosses have been forced to spend pounds 160,000 on new security cameras to combat sneak-in thieves.

Good Hope in Sutton Coldfield has increased the number of CCTV cameras from 22 to 60, placed inside and outside the premises.

Health chiefs hope to target criminal gangs who have stolen cash, patients' belongings, laptops and expensive medical equipment including X-ray monitors. The latest theft took place last Sunday when burglars broke into the out-patient department, stealing pounds 100 cash and causing pounds 450 worth of damage.

Phil Chambers, Security Advisor for Good Hope Hospital, said: 'We always have to be vigilant because hospitals have to be open and welcoming to the public. 'Our main problem is opportunistic thieves who take advantage of an office door left open, or a store room left unlocked.'

Good Hope is not the only Midland hospital under siege from thieves.

Birmingham Children's Hospital has recorded 20 thefts in the past year, despite being opposite Steelhouse Lane Police Station.

Health bosses at the hospital, which treats seriously ill youngsters, have now invested in high-resolution security cameras to help police catch offenders.

Health union UNISON said it was alarmed at the amount of medical property being stolen from hospitals.

'We are very concerned about the loss of expensive equipment,' said spokeswoman Anne Mitchell. 'There is a big difference between sheets going missing and computers being stolen.

'If NHS money is going into buying state-of-the-art cameras, then that is taking much-needed funding from healthcare. And patient care suffers if equipment goes missing.'

Other hospitals which have seen an increase in thefts in the past year include City Hospital in Birmingham, Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich and Birmingham Heartlands Hospital.

Liz Heath, from Heartlands Hospital, said open access to the wards may be to blame, adding there that was only so much CCTV and security swipe cards could do.

'It is the nature of hospitals,' she said. 'They are open premises where people are always coming in and out. This is a real challenge to us



Source: Sunday Mercury; Birmingham (UK)