A south London hospital has revealed the frightening results of a knife amnesty it introduced after a massive surge in stab victims it was having to treat.
St George’s Hospital in Tooting brought in the measure after its emergency department treated more than 500 people for injuries from knives and other sharp objects last year – almost double the number seen in 2022.
Provided by knife crime charity Words 4 Weapons, St George’s installed an amnesty bin on the hospital grounds near the emergency department for people to anonymously dispose of weapons.
In its first six months, 87 sharp objects were surrendered, including zombie knives and machetes, as well as other weapons such as knuckle dusters.
Cleo Kenington, consultant in emergency general surgery and major trauma at the hospital, said she has had to “physically remove knives from patients on the operating table to stop them bleeding to death”.
“These patients are young, vulnerable and scared – they have their whole lives ahead of them and they often say ‘I don’t want to die’,” she added.
“I’ve seen more and more patients being admitted with stab wounds – once they arrive at St George’s we provide them with the best possible care and most survive, but tragically many patients die before they can reach hospital as their injuries are so severe.”
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After the success of the scheme in London, an NHS trust said it would introduce the bins at St Helier Hospital in Carshalton and Epsom Hospital in Surrey.
Jacqueline Totterdell, chief executive of St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group, said: “Keeping staff and patients safe is our top priority – that’s why we’re working with partners to keep weapons out of our hospitals.”
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Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson added: “Tackling violence and making our streets safer is at the heart of this government’s Plan for Change and we cannot do this alone.
“I’ve seen first-hand how hospitals like St George’s can help – they are so often at the centre of tragic incidences of knife crime.
“Last month, we announced £9.4m of funding for the London Violence Reduction Unit which will enable them to continue funding youth workers in major trauma centres across London to help young people impacted by knife crime.”
