State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, will today move another Notice of Motion calling on the NSW Government to take action to fix security in public hospitals, following an incident at the Mater Hospital in May this year.
For years, Ms Hornery has been calling for more security guards, better training and the authority to detain violent patients at the John Hunter and Mater hospitals.
Health Ministers have conducted a number of reviews but no action has been taken to employ additional staff and improve training. As a result, staff across NSW will walk off the job today to seek a proactive approach to hospital safety that will shield health workers and patients from harm.
Staff at the John Hunter and Mater hospitals should not have to fear for their lives and put up with violence when going to work to help people. There must be more measures in place to protect staff while they are doing their jobs, so their focus is on caring for patients, not the possibility of being violently assaulted.
Quotes attributable to Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery
“This Government has been conducting reviews and security audits at both the John Hunter and Calvary Mater Hospitals since 2012, but as yet nothing has happened.”
“The 2012 audit showed alarming security risks and called on the Government to take action, however nothing has changed.”
“As a result of the failures of the Health Minister to implement any of the previous recommendations, staff across NSW will be walking off the job to fight for safe worksites for health workers and patients.”
“The Government is currently conducting yet another review, with former Health Minister, Peter Anderson, looking at what is needed. I have met with Peter and even he has said it is obvious more security staff are needed.”
“But here we are again, still awaiting a review to be completed, still without a single additional security officer having been employed at the John Hunter or Mater hospitals.”
“I am deeply concerned for the patients and staff at our hospitals. Our local hospitals have limited numbers of qualified, fulltime security officers to deal with the increase in violent behaviour.”
“My Notice of Motion will call for immediate action by the Health Minister to increase the security presence at the hospitals in the Wallsend electorate.”
“We all remember the stabbing of a security guard in May this year at the Mater Hospital.”
“We don’t need another report, we need immediate action. A safe hospital is a healthy hospital.”