HOSPITAL bosses are taking action to protect staff from drunken yobs who have shouted abuse and vandalised a New Forest hospital.
Over the past six months, threatening incidents have become much more regular at the 24-hour minor injury unit at Hythe Hospital.
Toilets have been damaged, bricks thrown through glass windows, doors repeatedly kicked, and fights started outside the facility.
Staff say it is especially serious on Friday and Saturday nights. The hospital's doors are locked at 10pm and nurses have to let people in using an intercom system.
Now they want to install a video-camera system to see who is outside and decide whether they can safely let them enter.
Vicki Pritchard, Waterside and Totton manager for the New Forest Primary Care Trust, said: "It is exceptionally disappointing that we are having to consider our security and the protection of nurses and patients when we are trying to give a service to the public. We have got patients at the hospital and we just cannot let unruly people into the building."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article