23 February 2023
The ANMF (SA Branch) has formally urged SA Health to intervene and urgently engage 24/7 restraint-trained security guards in all large regional hospitals.
This follows three violent episodes in just one week and a lack of satisfactory response by Local Health Networks to issues of violence and security.
Over the last month, ANMF (SA Branch) Officers have completed comprehensive Work Health and Safety right of entry (ROE) investigations at multiple hospitals within Country Health, including Wallaroo, Berri and Port Pirie.
Last week there were two violent incidents at Port Pirie Hospital with two nurses being physically assaulted by a patient and a patient’s family member.
There was also a highly publicised incident just after midnight last Wednesday when a man was tasered and arrested by police after smashing through glass doors at Wallaroo Hospital with a security camera he had wrenched off a wall.
“Port Pirie Hospital, Wallaroo, Riverland General Hospital and many other regional hospitals have no 24/7 restraint-trained security, meaning nurses and hospital staff are left to fend for themselves until police arrive,’’ ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM said.
“Police in these areas have a lot of distance to cover and it was only through sheer luck that SAPOL were already en route to Wallaroo Hospital with another patient and able to respond in time to last week’s incident.
“The violence within country hospitals cannot be tolerated. Employees have a right to be safe at work.
“Patients and visitors alike also have a right to be safe when seeking health services,’’ Ms Dabars said.
“Due to these ongoing issues and the advocacy of our members, restraint trained security guards have been successfully implemented at a number of regional hospitals including Whyalla, Pt Augusta, Mt Gambier, and Pt Lincoln.’’
The recent ROEs have been in response to reports of violence along with our concerns for the safety and wellbeing of our members. The ANMF (SA Branch)’s findings and recommendations arising from our ROE have been relayed to the individual Local Health Networks.
The responses received so far have been non-committal and lacking any urgency and as a consequence we have formally approached SA Health to intervene and instate 24/7 restraint-trained security guards at all large country hospital sites.
We have also recently escalated the issue in a formal letter to CEOs in all of the Local Health Networks and the Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton.
We will provide a response to our correspondence, as soon as it is received.
We encourage all members to continue to do the following:
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SLS all episodes of violence and report to SAPOL.
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Complete the ANMF (SA Branch) Violence Tool.
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Contact ANMF Officers immediately if no response is received from management.
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Contact SafeWork SA (1300 365 255) and lodge a complaint.
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Complete the Psychological Risk Form if you feel that your mental health is being impacted.
If you require further information, please contact ANMF (SA Branch) Officer Gabriel Evangelista via email at
[email protected] or via phone on 0448 631 309.
Authorised by: Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM CEO/Secretary ANMF (SA Branch) 20/02/2023