Tolworth Hospital may turn mental patients away if they refuse to be searched, after a knife attack on a ward last week.

On Monday evening a voluntary patient stabbed a fellow patient five times on the Lilacs Ward after an argument. It is believed he had been drinking alcohol passed to him by a friend over a perimeter fence.

A hospital spokesman said: "We have instigated a search policy and if any person refuses to be searched then they will probably be refused admission,"

This was the first incident of its kind at Tolworth and is being investigation by hospital management who have reminded patients and their relatives that alcohol and offensive weapons should not be brought into the hospital.

June Haswell, of the Kingston Community Health Council, agreed that the hospital has to enter into some sort of agreement with patients about the behaviour they expect on the wards but she added:

"My concern is that this kind of regime is put in place in a thoughtful and reasonable way with interaction with the patients, because where else is there to go?.

"Clearly if people arrive at the hospital in distress they need help," she said.

Just last month a report by the Clinical Risk Focus Group set up to investigate care and security at the hospital made three recommendations about illicit substance and alcohol misuse but these were only due to be in place by September.

The report said use of drugs and alcohol had significantly reduced since the Lilacs moved from Kingston Hospital but that patients were still using them and recommended they were given better education on their adverse effects.

The latest management review will see if changes need to be reinforced or brought in earlier.

Mrs Haswell said her main concerns were about the availability of alcohol and she questioned why staff did not intervene in the argument before it turned violent.

She looked forward to the arrival of ward clerks in November, also a recommendation of the Clinical Risk Focus Group, to free up nursing staff from administration duties to spent more time on the wards with patients.

The victim of the attack was treated at Kingston Hospital and is now back at Tolworth Hospital.

Police arrested and charged a man following the incident.

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