18 July 2019
Recently publicised safety concerns from members across metropolitan hospitals have resulted in a positive outcome at one major hospital at least, with Lyell McEwin Hospital agreeing to rollout significant additional security measures to protect its staff and patients.
The new measures agreed to yesterday by the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) include:
- Developing another 205 parking spaces onsite (and ensuring no reduction in existing spaces during construction)
- Resurfacing the Mark Road carpark opposite the hospital
- Extending the hours of security guard presence in the onsite carpark until 7am (currently 1am).
- Enforcing security escorts on-foot for staff parked in the Mark Road carpark
- Introducing a secure escort service to drive staff parked beyond the onsite and Mark Road carparks.
Modbury Hospital will also be enforcing security escorts on-foot for staff walking to their cars.
Details on the above measures are currently being finalised with a view to implementing some or all of the above measures in the next few months.
NALHN will facilitate another staff forum in the next two weeks to provide a more valuable opportunity for members to share any other safety and security concerns with management.
This agreement represents a positive step towards our call for the implementation of a statewide plan to protect patients and staff from violence and aggression in and around South Australia’s hospitals and health facilities.
There is still much work to be done, across all health services in South Australia, and we will continue to push for solutions that start to address the growing level of violent behaviours in our health system.