A POLICE "base" at Blackpool Victoria Hospital is being set up to treat the problem of violent behaviour in its new A&E department.

The "Community Safety Office", to be situated next to the accident and emergency department will not be manned permanently.

But it will be used by local ward beat officers to make phone calls, take statements and do reports as well as giving a clear message to the public that offending behaviour will not be tolerated.

A similar unit at Blackburn has already proved successful and Mark Sedgewick, an A&E consultant at BVH, said the physical presence of police officers on site will be reassuring for staff who can often be subjected to verbal and physical abuse by patients.

Since 1998 the number of violent incidents against Blackpool hospital staff has risen from 198 to 289 in 2000 and of the 106 that occurred in the A&E department, 22 were actual violent incidents.

"We have felt for some time that some form of security in A&E would be useful," added Mr Sedgewick. "The presence of the police tends to make patients more careful about the way they behave and does act as a deterrent."

PCs Rick Frith and Andy Birch are both ward beat officers for Grange Park and will be using the unit on a regular basis.

PC Frith said: "The Community Safety Office will provide a place to see people and take statements and also mean that we are close at hand to assist hospital staff should any anti-social or violent behaviour occur."

Insp Mark Hindle said: "I anticipate the office will be a huge success. We are working together with the hospital staff to create a safe environment in which they work and the community can be treated."

Mike Gallagher, director of facilities for the Trust, said: "The provision of this unit was an important step in the partnership between the police and the Trust to improve security within the hospital for the benefit of staff, patients and visitors."