FEARS that the electronic tagging of hospital patients could be abused are to be aired at a national conference in the region, where the UK's first tagging scheme is being extended.

Tagging patients has proved so popular at the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary that at least one family has complained because their relative was not included.

Senior doctors from all over the UK will debate the ethics of tagging patients, at Newcastle Civic Centre next month.

The conference has been organised by the Alzheimer's Society after it was revealed that the RVI is tagging "at-risk" patients as part of a pilot scheme.

Yesterday, hospital officials confirmed that the schcme is so succesful it is being extended to another ward.

A spokeswoman said: "My gut feeling is that the general public have accepted tagging, in fact they feel their mother or father is getting a higher level of care."

The scheme was introduced a year ago after grandfather Abram Walker, 66, from Cruddas Park, Newcastle, strayed from his ward and was found dead in a corridor ten hours after going missing.

An initial outcry about the scheme led to the trust inviting groups such as The Alzheimer's Society, Age Concern and the local community health council to help draw up guidelines for tagging.

The original pilot scheme was confined to a single ward and involved patients who were deemed to have a high risk of wandering off.

Now the scheme is to be extended to a ward containing more elderly patients.

"It clearly works and we have not had a serious incident since we installed it," the trust spokeswoman said.

A report on the scheme goes before the RVI trust board next month.

But Mark Walker, Northern regional development officer for the Alzheimer's Society, said it was important to debate the implications of tagging and how the new technology should be used.

"We are very happy about the way the RVI are operating their scheme, and there is a lot of potential for technology to help people with dementia, but there is also concern whether tagging will be abused," said Mr Walker.

"Will technology be used in the future to take rights away from a person with dementia rather than promoting their independence. That is the worry," he added.

For information about the conference, on November 9, telephone 0191-271 4040