RPA Hospital: Health district to spend $3m on rapid response team, training after scissor attack
A multimillion-dollar plan to boost security at a leading Sydney hospital in the wake of a stabbing attack, which injured three nurses and an elderly patient, has been revealed.
Central Sydney
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A multimillion-dollar plan to boost security at a leading Sydney hospital has been revealed in the wake of a stabbing attack which injured three nurses and an elderly patient.
The Sydney Local Health District will employ a dedicated response team for emergency situations as part of a $3 million security overhaul in response to the violent ordeal which unfolded at a Royal Prince Alfred Hospital ward on May 4, 2019.
The incident took place when a female patient being treated at the hospital allegedly wrestled a pair of scissors off a nurse before attacking three nurses who were on duty at the time.
One of the nurses suffered a stab wound to her back and had to be taken to the hospital’s emergency department for treatment.
The other nurses suffered superficial injuries and an 75-year-old patient sustained superficial cuts and bruising.
Five other staff reported psychological injuries after witnessing the incident.
An enforceable undertaking – developed by the health district and approved by SafeWork NSW this month – will result in major overhaul of safety and security including a dedicated response team made up of specialist staff whose role will be to rapidly respond to emergency situations.
The team will operate 24/7 and will be trained to recognise and respond to the acute severe behavioural disturbance.
A program manager will also be appointed to oversee the care of mental health and behaviourally disturbed patients in acute care facilities, and improved educational resources will be offered to staff and clinicians.
The $3 million undertaking is aimed at addressing what SafeWork NSW said were failings by the health district to ensure “as reasonably practicable” the health and safety of its workers and others.
Sydney Local Health District, as part of the undertaking, said it “regrets the incident” and was committed to “maintaining ongoing effective management of work health and safety risks.”
The health district has provided previous support to impacted staff including employee assistance, time off work, and transfers to other wards on request.
The incident resulted in a total of seven staff lodging workers compensation claims.
Sydney Local Health District was contacted for further comment but was unable to respond at the time of publication.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association supported the undertaking but said more “needed to be done to ensure occupational violence” in hospitals “ceases to exist”.
“(It’s) a step in the right direction but this incident and many others like it do take a considerable toll on the nurses involved as well as their colleagues who are witnesses,” association general secretary Shaye Candish said.
“Nurses and midwives are continuing to experience violence and aggression in our hospitals and other health settings at significant rates across the state and this has to end.”
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