Contents
1 Aim
To introduce the use of mobile phones and other devices to promote communication and contact between patients and their families and friends, to build on technical skills and to promote rehabilitation and recovery. All guidance within the document considers specific Ministry of Justice (MoJ) restrictions that may be in place for individual patients detained under section 37 or 41 of the Mental Health Act.
2 Scope
This document applies specifically to the forensic service and provides procedural guidance for use of staff working in this service including agency, bank and students.
3 Link to overarching policy, and or procedure
4 Procedure or implementation
The use of mobile phones and other devices in forensic services are restricted as per patient’s individualised care plans. Mobile phones and other devices are listed on the restricted items list within the “prohibited and restricted items management procedural guidance”.
The use of devices is a descriptive measure and is intended to cover all items capable of communication by spoken word, video, picture or text, the storing, manipulating, recording or transferring of personal data via the internet and technologies such as ‘Bluetooth’. The following list is not exhaustive and is meant purely for reference and the function causing concern may be secondary to the primary role of the device:
- mobile phones including smartphones
- still cameras
- video cameras
- desk top computers
- portable computers or tablets or iPads or Kindles
- personal digital assistants (PDA’s)
- dictating devices
- games machines with internet connection
- bluetooth and wireless communication device
- MP3 players or iPods
- laptops with integral webcam and voice recording equipment
- USB or memory sticks
- webcams
All staff must be aware of these items:
- staff and visitors are requested to leave mobile phones and other devices in the lockers provided when entering the forensic wards
- patients may be granted access to mobile phones and other devices on and off the unit as per individualised patient care plan
- as mobile phones and other devices are restricted items, this will need to be discussed in the patient’s multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meeting. If agreed an individualised mobile phone contract and care plan will be completed with the patient and a member of their care team
- should any patient not have a mobile phone, there is access to a telephone during their stay. On Amber Lodge there is a private telephone room available to all patients. Calls are connected by the Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust switchboard then charged to the individual by the finance department. Calls to solicitors, social workers, care coordinators etc. are free of charge
- portable computers and electronic gaming devices will have the internet connection disabled. Notifying IT of the MAC address of the device will enable this to be blocked on the trust server
- integral webcams and voice recording equipment must be disabled on patients’ personal laptops
- MP3 players or iPods can be used for listening to music, they must not be used for downloading images or to take photographs
- devices cannot be shared
Document control
- Version: 2.2.
- Unique reference number: 529.
- Approved by: Clinical policies review and approval group.
- Date approved: 5 October 2021.
- Name of originator or author: Forensic ward manager and social worker.
- Name of responsible individual: Executive director of nursing and AHPs.
- Date issued: 13 April 2023.
- Review date: 30 April 2024.
- Target audience: Minor amendment, correction to the review date approved April 21 (originally with 12 month review), this was amended to a 3 year review so corrected to April 2024.
- Description of change: All staff working in the forensic service
Page last reviewed: April 24, 2024
Next review due: April 24, 2025