Assault claims on the rise

A former patient is warning of unacceptable risks at Hillmorton Hospital as new ACC figures show mental health staff made nearly 200 claims for assaultrelated injuries in the past three years.

Violence has been an ongoing issue at the Christchurch mental health hospital, but two recent incidents – where a nurse suffered serious burns after a patient threw boiling water over her and another nurse was stabbed – has led to renewed scrutiny.

Health-and-safety regulator WorkSafe stepped in after the latest attacks and following an urgent meeting with the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) yesterday it said it would send investigators to the hospital before Christmas.

CDHB figures show mental health staff made 193 successful ACC claims for assault-related injuries in the past three years, resulting in medical costs and weekly compensation of nearly $750,000. The number of claims spiked in the year ending September, rising to 78 from 56 the year before.

‘‘The wellbeing and safety of our patients and staff is extremely important to us and staff work extremely hard to maintain a safe environment across our services,’’ CDHB chief people officer Michael Frampton said.

‘‘The service has seen an unprecedented level of demand over the past five years and we have also seen an increase in the number of injuries to our staff.’’

This year a nurse had her thumb broken at Hillmorton trying to stop a patient smashing through a set of locked doors, another was allegedly strangled, and in March three nurses were taken to the emergency department after a violent attack by a patient.

The CDHB has repeatedly said violence is unacceptable, but nurses cynical about a lack of

progress are increasingly speaking out. On Monday, staff met CDHB chief executive David Meates to discus their concerns. Another meeting is scheduled for today.

A recent patient at Te Awakura, the adult inpatient unit at Hillmorton, told The Press the level of risk to everyone in the unit went beyond reasonable levels, adding he did not feel secure during his stay. He was motivated to speak up after the incident last week where boiling water was thrown over a nurse. The man, who did not want his name used, said patients had access to a dispenser. ‘‘It is just plain stupid that the water temperature is not set at a nonscalding temperature,’’ he said.

The main issue, according to the former patient, was a lack of visible security. Nurses have also called for an increased security presence. There was an eclectic mix of patients, the man said, and nurses had to deal with people who could be verbally and physically abusive.

‘‘It’s upsetting when you see people get called ‘beeping sluts’, you know. They really put up with a lot,’’ the man said. He described the care he received from staff as excellent, and it made up for the condition of the facilities.

Te Awakura, a 64-bed unit, is regularly at or above capacity. In a statement on Monday, Meates said the pressure mental health services were under post-quake was impacting on patient care and the safety of staff.

The meeting between WorkSafe and the CDHB was also attended by New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) representatives. WorkSafe general inspectorate head Jo Pugh said WorkSafe and the CDHB were committed to working together.

WorkSafe would be undertaking assessments before Christmas and in February to ensure the CDHB was complying with health and safety legislation, and to understand how well it was identifying and managing risks.

NZNO organiser John Miller said: ‘‘The more light shone on the issues, the better.’’

Union members were understandably angry and scared by the ongoing violence. He said the current round of meetings needed to lead to material changes noticeable by nurses on the floor.

‘‘We’d also expect the Government and the ministry to be supporting the DHB to fast track some work to make it safer for our members in specialist mental health,’’ he said.

The CDHB and the NZNO are working on a joint project to improve safety in Te Awakura.