In this short brief, Jim O’Dwyer, Senior Consultant at AEGIS Protective Services, explains why NHS Security Officers should be mindful to reduce the sense of personal space intrusion they may cause to a person who is sitting down or lying on a bed/trolley.

Reducing the sense of personal space intrusion

Personal space isn’t just about distance — it’s about position.

People who are sitting down experience a sense of personal space invasion much earlier than those who are standing. That’s because sitting places them at an immediate positional disadvantage when someone remains standing over them, even if the standing person has calm intentions.

For Healthcare Security Officers, this matters.

Consider the three images below.

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 1 shows a Healthcare Security Officer standing close to a patient who is sitting down.

Image 2 shows how the Officer’s proximity and positional advantage may be perceived by the patient as threatening, even though the Officer has no aggressive intentions.

Image 3 shows how, when it’s safe and appropriate, lowering yourself to the same eye level — by kneeling or sitting — can significantly reduce perceived intimidation, help de-escalate anxiety, and support more effective communication.

Same words. Same distance. Very different impact — purely because of positioning.

Professional presence is not just what we say, but how we position ourselves.

Stay safe!

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