17 April 2019
Staff at Whyalla Hospital are urging Country Health SA to prioritise staff safety after a patient recently pulled a knife on a nurse in the Emergency Department.
The ANMF (SA Branch) is supporting affected members and continuing to push the issue with hospital management (
read letter ), who has since advised recommendations on security upgrades will be made following an assessment by the Country Health SA (CHSA) Security Advisor.
As an interim measure until such determinations are made by CHSA, the ANMF (SA Branch) has requested that security guards be stationed within the Emergency Department until the review is completed and recommendations actioned.
View management’s disappointing response
here , which members report reflects the status quo at the facility prior to the incident. As a result, members continue to feel afraid to go to work and unsupported by management.
The ANMF (SA Branch) has spoken with media on the call for strengthened security, with Director of Operations and Strategy Rob Bonner saying to members “if you feel that management is not acting in every way possible to keep you safe, it affects morale.” View the full news story
here .