Put safety first for care staff

ALL workers have the right to operate in an environment where they feel safe and protected.

Staff at the Townsville Hospital’s Alec Illin Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit have expressed concerns over colleagues suffering injuries from violent patients.

The injuries have been serious and included broken bones.

Staff say they feel at risk and have asked for the Townsville Hospital and Health Service to station a security guard at the facility full- time.

At present, security guards are on call and respond to incidents when needed.

Of course, when someone starts behaving violently a lot of damage can be done in the minutes it takes a guard to get to the facility from somewhere else at the hospital.

The Townsville Hospital and Health Service has said it will consider the proposal however is yet to give a firm commitment that it will agree to the request.

A trial of increased security will be discussed by the board this week.

With about four reports of physically violent assaults recorded weekly in 2017 and again up to the end of April this year, there would appear to be a genuine need for an on- site guard.

It is hoped that if the board does agree to the trial, it is implemented for an extended period of time to assess its worth. The reports of violence at the mental health facility again highlight the risks our frontline health and law enforcement officers face.

Last weekend another police officer was violently assaulted in Townsville.

It led to Townsville Inspector Roger Whyte reacting angrily at a media conference, describing the incident as “totally unacceptable”.

Paramedics also have been the victims of attacks while working, often from people they are trying to help.

It makes sense that all reasonable steps are taken to allow these workers to carry out their duties in a safe environment.