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Commentary on: Ward‐Stockham, Daniel C, Bujalka H, et al. Implementation and use of the Safewards model in healthcare services: A scoping review. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2024;00:1–30.
Implications for practice and research
Effective implementation of Safewards interventions could significantly reduce conflict and containment in healthcare services, resulting in a safer environment for patients and professionals.
Research is needed on the sustainability and generalisability of Safewards interventions, particularly in non-mental health settings as the model expands to other healthcare contexts.
Context
Conflict behaviours, such as aggression, along with containment practices like seclusion, adversely affect both patients’ well-being and staff safety.1–3 To create safer therapeutic environments, the Safewards model was developed, incorporating ten core interventions to enhance staff-patient interactions.1 3 These encompass strategies such as establishing clear mutual expectations, employing soft words and implementing talk-down techniques.1 3 Ward-Stockham et al expanded the focus to examine the implementation of Safewards across diverse mental health (MH) settings, exploring its adaptability, …
Footnotes
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Competing interests None declared. This editorial reflects the views of the author(s) at the time of writing and not necessarily those of the University of Derby, the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, or any other affiliated organization.
Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.