DOCTORS and nurses from Bradford Royal Infirmary’s Emergency Department (ED) recently took part in an innovative project that saw students from across the district become ‘junior detectives’ in a bid to prevent knife crime.
The launch of the initiative, which was rolled out across the city earlier this month after its successful implementation in Leeds, was led by specialist officers from West Yorkshire Police’s Integrated Offender Management 6th Prison Hub Team and supported by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s ED trauma team, Bradford City Football Club, the St Giles Trust and the Law Courts.
The week-long Junior Detective Programme aims to help young people make informed decisions and equip them with the knowledge to act as ‘anti-knife crime champions’ in their schools and communities.
ED Consultant and the BRI’s trauma lead, Dr Jill Stewart believes there is an “urgent need to engage in teenage prevention activity given that knife wound injuries seen in ED are becoming more prevalent.”
“All ages are involved in knife crime – usually it starts with teenagers to those in their early 20s here in Bradford, but we do see all ages,” she continued.
“We see injuries caused by machetes, kitchen knives, zombie knives, the whole gamut really. We have seen victims stabbed all over their body and it is very traumatic for the patient, their loved ones and also for our hospital colleagues.
“Participating in this course was a positive step as the team had to act preventatively as nobody wins in knife crime. It’s a lose-lose situation because if you carry a knife and stab someone, that person could very well end up dead, so you are consigning yourself to a life of misery in prison. A second’s madness and you’ve ruined your life, your family’s life and another family’s life. It’s just not worth it.”
The week saw 14 Year 8 students, aged 13 to 14, from Titus Salts School, Oasis Academy and Tong Leadership Academy put through their paces in the role of detectives investigating a serious knife-related offence.
The fictional scenario was created by experienced detectives with the intention of raising students’ awareness of the consequences of serious youth violence and criminal exploitation linked to gangs.
Police Constable Pete Homer, of Bradford District Police, said: “Tackling knife crime especially amongst our younger communities remains a top priority for the police and our NHS partners. We recognise that everyone in our community has a role to play in raising awareness of the issue and helping to keep young people safe.
“I hope that these students gained valuable experience from this course and will share their learning with their peers when they get back to school.”
The group received input from police officers, the ED team and other speakers with lived experience of gang and knife crime, while they investigated the incident, including forensic examination of the crime scene.
The BRI ED team included Registrar Dr Sophie McGovern, Junior Doctor, Dr Umair Qureshi, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Rebecca Aird, Matron, Kayleigh Lawton and Trauma Nursing Lead for ED, Tish Browning.
Students experienced the patient journey with a ‘virtual hospital admittance’ and witnessed our team running through exactly what happens when a stabbing victim is brought to our ED.
The students also viewed a virtual anatomy dissection table with a life-size 3D, high-definition CT scan of the patient’s veins and gastro-intestinal systems.
“Students saw visually where all the organs and blood vessels are, to show that there is no ‘safe place to stab’,” added Dr Stewart.
The project was given the use of facilities at the University of Bradford for the week and the programme ended with a visit to Bradford Crown Court where students witnessed ‘the case’ being heard in front of His Honour, Judge Jonathan Rose.
The initiative concluded with a celebration event where the first cohort of students were officially awarded ‘anti-knife crime champions’ status.
The Trust, as part of the NHS’s major trauma network, doesn’t always see the most serious knife crime cases which are deemed ‘major trauma’ as these are sent directly to the Leeds General Infirmary.
Dr Stewart stated: “We often get victims self-presenting at the ED and, in the worst cases where victims are in cardiac arrest, they are taken to the nearest hospital like BRI ED.
“When we do a get a patient brought in with serious knife injuries, colleagues can be quite traumatised, so it has a huge effect on staff as what they witness is harrowing and distressing.”
The ED team plans to run one course a month around the city’s schools where years 7 and 8 students will witness the doctors and nurses enacting a medical simulation of a knife injury and learn how to carry out basic first aid including CPR (cardiac pulmonary resuscitation).