Hospital Watch extends to Marymount
A garda initiative which supports hospitals has been extended in Cork city to ensure people’s safety.
Called Hospital Watch it will now include Marymount University Hospital in the Cork City Division. Similar to the residential Neighbourhood Watch scheme, it operates as a partnership between An Garda Síochána and hospitals and it is already in operation at Cork University Hospital, Bon Secours Hospital and Mercy University Hospital.
Gardaí in Togher are now partnering with Marymount University Hospital & Hospice, staff, patients and visitors with the aim of preventing crime within the hospital setting. The initiative embodies the principles of partnership, problem solving, engagement and crime prevention and ensuring that hospital staff and patients and visitors are safe.
By engaging in the Hospital Watch Programme, An Garda Síochána aim to prevent crime and the fear of crime. Speaking about the initiative, Superintendent Finbarr O’Sullivan said: "The launch of Hospital Watch at Marymount University Hospital will help keep hospital staff and patients safe. Gardaí will engage with hospital staff as well as service users to promote crime prevention and awareness as well as facilitate problem solving.”
Dr Sarah McCloskey, Chief Executive Officer at Marymount University Hospital & Hospice, said: "We are delighted today to launch Hospital Watch, working in partnership with An Garda Síochána to support us in preventing crime.
“At Marymount University Hospital and Hospice, we are hugely committed to the safety and well-being of our staff, volunteers, patients, residents and families.”
She added: “We are dedicated to the provision of optimum care and safety is fundamental to this. Our Hospital Watch programme has been hugely welcomed by the Marymount team and is already proving to be hugely beneficial. We are enormously grateful to our colleagues in An Garda Síochána, especially Superintendent Finbarr O'Sullivan and his team for their commitment and support in this endeavour and we look forward to developing this collaboration further.”