Staff Safety

Staying safe out and about

• Keep to main routes and try to avoid dark places. Stick to well lit and busy areas.
• Plan your route and try to identify places along the route where you can call for assistance.
• Try and vary your times and locations when travelling.
• When you leave home or work, tell someone where you are going, when you will be returning and how you can be contacted. Ask them to contact you if you have not confirmed your arrival at your destination by a certain time.
• Remove your NHS identification badge when you are not on NHS premises.
• Carry a mobile phone and ensure it is fully charged and has enough credit on it.
• Keep your mobile and house keys separate from your bag.
• Avoid wearing hoodies and large anoraks as they may block your peripheral vision and can easily be used to stop you seeing.
• If you feel you are being followed then cross over the road and walk in the opposite direction, if you feel someone is still following you go to a place of safety i.e. nearby friend’s house or a shop and ask for help.
• Various Apps are available for your mobile phone to help keep you safe.

Staying safe at home

• Keep your mobile phone next to you when in bed at night. Make sure it is fully charged or use this opportunity to charge it up.
• Consider how much personal information you share on social media.
• Keep all doors and windows locked.

Staying safe while driving

• Try to park in busy or well lit areas. If you park in the day consider what the area will be like after dark.
• Park your car facing outwards so you can leave quickly if needed (i.e. reverse into a parking space).  
• If returning to your car after dark, consider buddying with a colleague (walk together to one car, then drive the other person to their car and wait until they are safety inside).
• Lock the car doors when you get into the vehicle.
• Keep your car in good condition and don’t let your fuel run low.
• If you think you are being followed drive to the nearest public place and ask for help.

Staying safe in taxis

• Never hail a taxi in the street, always book one.
• Always ensure that you travel in a licensed taxi by checking the vehicle’s signage or plate with the driver’s badge.
• When booking a taxi, ask for the name of the driver picking you up and what vehicle they will be using.
• When you get to your destination, ask the driver to wait until you are inside.
• If travelling alone, sit behind the driver in the back seat.
• If you are concerned call the police on 101 or visit a police station.
• in an emergency call 999.

Advice kindly provided by Hampshire Constabulary