Hospital workers ‘need protection’
ASSAULTS on health workers are skyrocketing, leading to renewed calls for a police beat at the Gold Coast University Hospital precinct.
New data obtained by the Bulletin shows assaults on Gold Coast hospital workers have risen by 56 per cent since 2016.
Opposition health spokesperson Ros Bates has urged the Palaszczuk Government to reconsider plans for a police beat.
Ms Bates said GOLDOC chairman Peter Beattie in August 2016 had promised a police beat would be established for the Commonwealth Games Athletes Village but only a temporary cop shop was created for the event.
Turning the village into a residential hub combined with Griffith University and the medical precinct would create a population equivalent to a regional town.
“Our hardworking nurses, doctors and health staff don’t deserve to be treated like punching bags when they go to work,” Ms Bates said.
“Clearly, Labor policies aren’t working and these staff need better protection. As a nurse, I understand our hospitals shouldn’t be like war zones. They are places to treat the sick and injured.”
Campaigning by the Bulletin and Ms Bates led to an increase in security staff along with safety measures like bodyworn cameras, but violent incidents continue.
Queensland Health and Hospital Services records for the Coast district show that 260 “acts of aggression” were reported in 2015-16, followed by 297 in 2016-17. From 2017 to May this year, the number of assaults has climbed to 405.
“We are renewing our call for a police beat at the precinct. We were promised by Peter Beattie a police beat in that precinct for the Commonwealth Games,” Ms Bates said.
“We didn’t get that. We need to ensure we are offering staff proper protection. We know the numbers are under reported.
“The staff can’t be bothered on a nightshift going to Southport police station and making a complaint.”
Bonney MP Sam O’Connor said he was concerned at a severe under-reporting of the assaults.
He said he would continue to lobby Police Minister Mark Ryan but the Government’s response on police beats was to say they were an “operational matter” left to the discretion of senior police.
Mr Ryan’s office yesterday referred the Bulletin to police media, saying: “Decisions about location or allocation of police resources are a matter for the Police Commissioner.”
A police spokeman said there was no Gold Coast police district plan, at this stage, to “progress’’ a dedicated police beat at the Parklands precinct.
“This Parklands area is already adequately serviced by Southport Police Division with support from other district work units across the Gold Coast,’’ the spokesman said.