Public Bodies come together to condemn anti-social behaviour at Llandudno General Hospital

07.11.2024

Representatives from three public bodies joined in condemnation of a campaign of anti-social behaviour by youths against a local hospital.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Conwy County Borough Council and North Wales Police are working together, after youths insulted nursing staff, flooded hospital toilets and broke into a contractor’s office at Llandudno General Hospital over the past few weeks.

In another incident, a mattress was deliberately set ablaze in a hospital store room and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service had to attend the scene to ensure the safety of the site.

Last week nurses suffered verbal abuse from young people loitering around the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU). At the time of the incident, they were tending to a patient who had become seriously ill and needed urgent transportation by emergency ambulance to an acute site.

Youths have been repeatedly entering the hospital after hours, which has prompted hospital managers to restrict access to the site via the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) and the main hospital entrances only. Security staff have now been employed on out of hours patrols.

Nichola Hughes, head of intermediate care and specialist nursing for BCUHB’s Central Integrated Health Community, said: “This senseless and anti-social behaviour has no place in or near to a hospital. Our staff are trying to care for people and it is totally unacceptable they should have to endure this. Their jobs are hard enough without having to withstand verbal abuse and criminal damage.

“I’m urging our community to report any suspicious activity they see around Llandudno Hospital and help us to keep our community safe.”

In another episode of senseless conduct, one youth smashed a wine bottle outside MIU, cutting their hand in the process. They then smeared blood over windows and walls at the unit, while initially refusing treatment from staff.

Aside from the risk to the young person, it left nurses and support workers having to clean up an obvious infection risk, rather than dealing with sick and injured patients.

North Wales Police has been working closely with the Health Board to keep staff safe and tackle the incidences of poor behaviour on site.

District Inspector Catherine Walker said: “In recent months, our officers have repeatedly had to attend the hospital to deal with unnecessary incidents, which not only endanger patients and health professionals, but also divert our resources away from other areas.

“I would urge parents and carers of young people to ensure they know where their children are and impress upon them that this behaviour is not acceptable. We will not tolerate incidents of this nature and going forward, we will deal with all such instances robustly.”

Colleagues at Conwy County Borough Council, which works in tandem with the Health Board across the community, are also aware of the issues faced by staff on the hospital site and criticised the actions of a small minority of youths.

Cllr Geoff Stewart, Conwy County Borough Council’s cabinet member for Neighbourhood and the Environment, including Community Safety, said: “I’m disappointed to hear about the incidents at Llandudno Hospital. Nobody, particularly public sector workers providing vital services, should have to tolerate this kind of abuse and anti-social behaviour.”

The Health Board has reiterated its zero-tolerance approach towards abuse, threats, aggression and criminal damage in its hospitals and is committed to using the full force of the law to prevent such behaviour where appropriate.

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