‘Suck it up’: Cairns mental health clinicians, staff, break silence over ‘dangerous’ workplace

Burned out Cairns mental health workers are operating in a “highly dangerous” hospital unit where patients use and sell drugs, carry weapons and staff fear being physically assaulted, whistleblowers say.

Whistleblowers familiar with Cairns hospital’s mental health unit are calling out the violent attacks on staff members.

Burned out Cairns mental health workers are operating in a “highly dangerous” hospital unit where patients use and sell drugs, carry weapons and staff fear being physically assaulted, whistleblowers say.

But Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service’s top boss has declared “zero tolerance” on workplace violence, revealing plans to bolster the embattled ward’s workforce with almost a dozen new nurses set to start prior to the opening of its $70m, 53-bed facility later this year.

In explosive claims, staff familiar with Cairns Hospital’s mental health unit have called out the treatment of frontline workers, declaring more must be done to protect them from aggressive patients, often under the influence of illicit substances.

Cairns Hospital’s Kerwin St entry where some mental health services within the hospital are currently based. Picture: Emily Barker

The alarming increase in attacks on health practitioners over the past two years has prompted employees to finally speak out with workers told there is little that can be done to protect them against raging patients.

In the past two months, at least four nurses have been attacked by mental health patients, an experienced health worker, who asked to remain anonymous, said.

“One nurse got punched in the face, had a split lip and went to the ED for neuro observations for four hours recently,” they said. “It’s highly dangerous.

“A lot of us struggle with it. We like the fact that we get to help people get better and go back to community.

“But we’re banging our heads against a brick wall. A lot of senior nurses are really burned out because we’ve been fighting this for so long.

“We’re just not getting anywhere.”

Patients are frequently found in possession of dangerous implements with the Cairns Post made aware of multiple instances of incidents involving weapons, including a knife, hammer, machete and a tomahawk.

Two workers recounted instances where toothbrushes had been snapped and turned into “shivs”.

Nurses have reported illegal drugs being used and sold within the Cairns mental health unit, whistleblowers say.

Emboldened patients have even taken to selling drugs within their units, netting almost $1000 a week for contraband.

“We had an incident … where four consumers smoked ice on the ward and we just had to put up with it,” they said.

“Police weren’t called to deal with it and there were no repercussions for their actions.

“They (patients) literally go out, buy drugs, bring them back to the ward and sell them to other patients.”

WORKERS ‘FURIOUS’

An increase in drug-induced presentations is fuelling the violence, a staff member said.

“It’s unsafe,” they said. “I haven’t seen many more dangerous environments than this place.

“The mental health nursing staff have had a gutful. They’re furious with what’s going on.

“We’ve had visitors bring in marijuana inside a mobile phone. No-one really knows what’s changing hands.

“Too many times people are brought in and are in an elevated state. That’s either because of drugs, or emotionally, and that’s how it (an assault) starts. It’s a mess.

“Most of them (violent patients) are still coming down. They may come in … quite often while coming off of ice and they’ve got to spend a couple of days going through it.

“There are massive behavioural problems during that time until they level out.”

Among the current pleas to hospital management to improve staff safety are the following recommendations:

■ Raised counters in mental health units to prevent attacks

■ Reinforced glass around nurses stations within all four mental health units in A and D Block

■ 24-hour onsite security guards

■ Updated safety address alarms for mental health nurses and nurse unit managers and

■ Metal detectors as part of the mental health unit admission protocol for visitors and patients.

CHHHS Chief Executive Leena Singh. Picture: Sandhya Ram

ZERO TOLERANCE

CHHHS chief executive Leena Singh acknowledged the challenge of treating emotionally complex and vulnerable patients was difficult but added protecting staff from violent attacks was “paramount” to any clinical setting.

“Occupational violence is an issue facing too many health workers across Queensland,” Ms Singh said.

“Verbal and physical violence in our hospitals by patients, visitors or staff is unacceptable and we have zero tolerance for antisocial and violent behaviour.

“Another component of reducing violence in the workplace is staff training to help de-escalate and manage situations.”

Additional security measures within a clinical setting can also distress patients, Ms Singh said.

“A mental health unit is not a custodial setting; as care providers, we must maintain fair

treatment in accordance with our obligations to the Human Rights Commission and

the Office of the Health Ombudsman.”

Queensland Nurses and Midwives protest for pay increase, Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Picture, Union Acting Assistant Secretary Sarah Beaman. Photo: Patrick Woods.

Growing demand on the mental health unit had placed increased pressure on frontline staff in Cairns, Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union secretary Sarah Beaman said, with alternative facilities and services desperately needed.

“Public mental health services state-wide have long failed to meet demand,” Ms Beaman said.

“The QNMU has repeatedly called on the state and federal governments and made submissions to the Productivity Commission and other agencies, for more community-based, extended hours services to address and meet demand for mental health services.”

Construction work on the new mental health unit at the Cairns Hospital, to be housed in a purpose-built, multi storey building on the corner of Lake Street, Kerwin Street and the Esplanade is ongoing. Picture: Brendan Radke

The opening of the hospital’s long-delayed three-storey mental health facility will ease pressure on staff, Ms Singh said.

“It will provide additional capacity and is designed with modern care and design

principles to ensure an improved physical environment to support people in their

recovery,” she said.

“A new therapy – a sensory modulation room – has been developed in the new unit as

part of our de-escalation strategy and enables patients to be in control of their

calming techniques to avoid escalating behaviours.

“To support the general health of patients and to facilitate a smooth integration back

into community living, patients will have access to a gymnasium and exercise

physiologist, along with a kitchen.

“Additionally, there will be a number of enclosed outdoor spaces with ocean and

mountain views so patients can access fresh air and sensory gardens, incorporating

small traditional plants and bush medicine for patients who value a connection with

the land.”

Artist impressions of the Cairns Hospital mental health unit were released in 2022. Picture: Supplied

But a whistleblower said staff still believed more needed to be done by the health department.

“We’ve tried to reason with our managers and doctors but all we get told is, ‘You’re a mental health ward. Suck it up’,” they said.

Ten registered mental health nurses are expected to start in July, Ms Singh said.

If you, or someone you know needs crisis support, help is available. Call Lifeline now on 13 11 14, available 24/7.

Originally published as ‘Suck it up’: Cairns mental health clinicians, staff, break silence over ‘dangerous’ workplace