Wednesday, 3 September 2008

Reporting stabbing A&E victims is a victory for the Daily Mirror

Doctors have been ordered to report stabbings to police under rules issued by the medical watchdog.

The change is a huge victory for the Mirror's Stop Knives, Save Lives campaign. Police are also being issued with hundreds more search wands and dozens of extra airport-style arches to detect blades, another of our campaign's demands.

Former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, whose 16-year-old brother Ben was stabbed to death, praised our victory.
She said: "Congratulations to the Mirror. I attended the Daily Mirror's anti-knife summit last month when we told the Government that we needed these changes to be made - so it's great that they're listening.

"This victory will hopefully make people think twice before going out armed with a blade and stop other innocent youngsters suffering the same terrible fate as Ben.
"It's proof that together we can really make a difference. Keep up the good work."

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has done a deal with doctors over reporting stabbings after weeks of wrangling.
Ms Smith backed our call for police to be notified when victims arrive at hospital. But there were fears that this would stop badly injured people from seeking treatment.

The Home Secretary has been in talks with medical chiefs about finding a compromise.
Now the General Medical Council has produced draft guidelines stating that hospital staff should inform officers when knife victims are admitted.

But doctors and nurses will be allowed to withhold a victim's name and address.

The Mirror demands..
1 Give our police tools to catch knife thugs
2 Launch amnesty to bring in the blades
3 Nurses must report treating stab victims
4 Teach all pupils that knives solve nothing
5 Texts and internet will help win battle

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