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The security manager at Kettering General Hospital has been shortlisted for a national award for the way he has contributed to making the hospital safer for patients and staff.

Darren Barber is among 12 security experts shortlisted for Security/Risk Manager of the Year in the national Fire and Security Matters Awards 2026 - FSM Awards 2026 - Shortlist - and he is the only one from the NHS.

He was nominated by the hospital's security contractors SGC Security Services with input from hospital safeguarding staff for the exemplary way he has helped build security and risk management services for staff and patients over the last three years.

Darren said: “I am always embarrassed about awards because it's not about me - a lot of people make this happen.

“It involves working with colleagues across the Trust, and our security team, to understand the many issues that can be thrown up around security and risk management including dealing with aggression arising from many causes including addiction, dementia, mental health, and learning disability.

“I try my best to support everyone and over the last three years we have developed systems at the hospital which are also being recognised as outstanding - hence the shortlisting for a national award.

“When I was told I had been nominated by SGC and our associate director of safeguarding I felt very proud. All of the work we have been involved with has been recognised for the way it helps make the hospital safer for our patients and for our staff.”

Over the last three years the teams involved have developed increasingly sophisticated ways of ensuring the hospital is as safe and risk free as possible.

These have included:

• Analysing where conflict happens within the organisation and speaking with staff to catagorise and record incidents - working with departments such as the overall site management team, emergency department and wards where incidents have occurred
• Creating a Violence Patient Marker Panel - designed by Darren - which enables staff to refer patients to a panel, made up of many different agencies, such as social care, police, probation, and hospital staff, to ensure each patient is supported appropriately with care plans, or, if situations escalate, appropriately refer them to the police. Also it enables patients to be noted on electronic systems for when they present again.
• Ensuring staff in wards and departments know what to do if a problem arises, understand safeguarding issues, know how to resolve conflicts, manage aggression and report incidents
• Using a three-tier staff training system for violence and aggression, beyond normal minimum mandatory training, to enable staff and departments to be well prepared for the challenges they face. This includes dealing with face-to-face encounters, conflict resolution, the law, breakaway techniques, and how to best engage with the hospital's security team.
• Taking a bird's eye view of violence and aggression looking at data and reports from wards and departments via University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (both Kettering and Northampton general hospitals) Violence and Aggression Reduction Group (VARG) so that the Trust can take appropriate measures to address issues that arise.

Darren said: “It is all about making sure that our governance and risk processes mean we can do our best to support our patients, who may have difficulties being in a hospital environment, while at the same time protecting our colleagues from the mental and physical risks associated with aggressive behaviour.

“We aim to learn from incidents, keep staff safe by encouraging the right decisions, being aware of all the people around you and understanding the need to provide the right assistance to the patient.”

The hospital's security contractors, SGC Security Services, who nominated Darren for the award said: “Our work with Darren at Kettering General Hospital is rooted in a shared partnership where SGC and the Trust operate as one team to deliver compassionate, effective security that supports patients and staff. Darren's leadership and collaborative approach have been central to building this culture and driving lasting positive change.”

UHN Director of Estates and Facilities, Rob Drabble, said: “Darren is one of the most accomplished people I have had the privilege to work alongside. He is tenacious in approach, and expert in his delivery. The nomination highlights his commitment, dedication, and ability; it demonstrates the respect he has gathered in his peers.”

In his nomination Associate Director of Safeguarding Nhamo Paz wrote: “In the time that Darren has been at KGH we have seen a transformation in the security team and the Trust's response to, governance around, and the general management of, violence and aggression.

“He has always lived the trust values of compassion, empathy, integrity, respect and accountability, and ensures that the security team put this in practice."

The national Fire and Security Matters Awards 2026 finals are being held on July 2, 2026, at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

In 2024 KGH and SGC also won the highly commended category for Healthcare Security Officer Team Award in the annual awards of the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS).