Welcome to the NSW Health FAQ section regarding the trial of body worn cameras for security staff. If you are a patient or visitor entering a hospital, here is important information about this initiative designed to improve safety and security.
In addition to extensive actions to make hospitals across NSW safer, some specific hospitals will trial body worn cameras for security staff. The purpose of the trial is to evaluate whether body worn cameras are effective in de-escalating incidents where there is an imminent risk to safety. It does not replace existing de-escalation practices.
15 sites across NSW will trial body worn cameras over the next 12 months. These sites are:
Body worn cameras will not be recording at all times. Security officers have been trained to only activate body worn cameras in the event of an imminent risk to safety. The footage is not live monitored and will only be viewed in relation to the purpose of the trial.
Body worn camera recordings are securely uploaded and stored to a secure web-based video management system. This system uses secure servers and access control to ensure safe custody of data. A Privacy Impact Assessment has been conducted and informs policy around the access, use and release of data. Footage cannot be used for general surveillance or monitoring.
Security staff will give a verbal notification that they are about to begin recording for the safety of those involved, and only in situations where there is an imminent risk to safety. Once the body worn camera is activated, a visible red light will appear in the front of the camera, as an indication that recording is in progress.
To contact your local privacy officer, please visit the Privacy contact officers page.