Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Co Louth, is part of the Louth/Meath hospital group. The hospital provides 340 beds of which 30 are reserved for acute day cases. The contract requirements were for the provision of a professional security service. Two security officers were required for general security duties, two officers for traffic management, and one officer based in A&E.

Initially the 700 hours per week in 2006 were for 5 officers by day and 4 by night. This then increased to 931 hours – 6 officers by day and 5 by night, then increased again to 1192 hours – 7 officers by day and 7 by night. More recently, the contract has decreased to 672 hours – 4 officers by day and 4 by night. As can be appreciated, the manpower at this hospital has fluctuated over the years. However, we have remained flexible and adaptable to all requests from hospital management during this time. The reason for the fluctuations was due to ongoing work at the hospital which required extra staff at the entrance and exit barriers. The reduction to date to 672 hours has occurred following the installation of the electronic barriers, which are now controlled by one security officer in the security portacabin.

Our main duties here comprise of:

  • Concourse/reception
  • Message taking
  • Manning of A&E and waiting room
  • Issuing of ID badges to all hospital personnel
  • Key control
  • Fire alarm
  • Assisting the doctors/nurses and general assistants with aggressive patients and clients, and manning the psychiatry department (full time)
  • Crime prevention and detection
  • Patrolling the grounds mobile on foot
  • Monitoring the CCTV
  • Enforcing all hospital policies
  • Intruder alarm and panic alarm systems
  • Customer/client support i.e. assisting visitors and staff with direction, obtaining wheelchairs and being helpful and friendly
  • Car park and traffic management
  • Keeping detailed and accurate reports
  • Provision of extra personnel on a one to one basis (specials)
  • Dealing with lost and found property
  • Traffic accidents
  • Restraint of persons