Robina Hospital drug use flares up as Gold Coast patients take leave to smoke ice
MENTAL health patients are taking day-leave from a Gold Coast Hospital to smoke ice in nearby hidden road and train station links used by school students.
Crime and Court
Don't miss out on the headlines from Crime and Court. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MENTAL health patients are taking day-leave from Robina Hospital to smoke ice in nearby road and train station links used by school students.
Several hospital and police sources have contacted the Gold Coast Bulletin after a dangerous patient escaped from the hospital and two unreported stabbing incidents involving nurses occurred in the past month.
DANGEROUS MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS WALK FREE
Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates, who has been campaigning for a police beat near the hospital, said yesterday she would alert the local school.
Hospital sources provided details of two locations — a culvert under Robina Town Centre Drive west of the hospital and a walkway to the railway station — where they had witnessed drug use by patients.
“I’ve gone off shift and seen patients from the mental health ward meet people under there. I’ve seen a patient with a pipe smoke ice when the kids have been coming in and out of school. It’s so wrong,” a hospital source said.
Nurses have been stabbed by patients using cooking utensils but the incidents were not made public, the source added.
FIRE IN MENTAL HEALTH WARD SPARKS SAFETY CONCERNS
“It is a common occurrence where staff are threatened with (a patient holding) a knife or fork. Most of the patients have access to metal cutlery in the kitchen area,” the source said.
After the Gold Coast Bulletin in 2015 exposed several “code black” incidents Queensland Health undertook a review which led to more security staff being appointed to the Robina and Gold Coast University hospitals.
But staff believe security officers are “facing a losing battle” as the Coast is forced to house more dangerous drug-using patients.
“It’s the nursing staff who are copping it. Some patients are bringing drugs into the hospital on a daily basis,” a hospital source said.
“These patients are concealing the drugs. You can only do a search to a certain point. There is no X-raying. Sometimes they are hiding the drugs in the ward garden.”
A police source confirmed a Robina nurse had been recently stabbed and concerns were increasing for staff safety as fewer high security beds were unavailable in Brisbane facilities.
“A very dangerous guy has escaped twice. People are walking in and walking out. You can’t expect nurses to stop them,” the police source said.
Opposition Communities spokesperson Ros Bates said the Government was continuing to ignore the real threat to our local community created by failing to the manage the mental health unit.
“There is no excuse for Labor to have let this dangerous situation flare up again. Given the current situation I’ll be contacting the local school to alert teachers and staff about the ongoing threat and continuing to fight for action from Labor’s Health Minister,” she said.
Ms Bates said she was aware that the drug issues at Robina Hospital had continued since she first raised them some 18 months ago.
“Labor needs to come clean about the lack of secure beds to house patients who are a risk to the community,” she said.
NURSES INJURED IN ATACKS ON PATIENTS
“I’ve heard Robina is being used as an alternative to more secure spaces like ‘The Park’ in Brisbane because of a lack of beds.”
A Gold Coast Health spokesperson said allegations of drug use and supply on public land, including the carpark and walkway should be referred to police for follow up.
“Our protective services officers are there for the safety of our patients, staff and the public — they are not police officers,” the spokesperson said.
“We have a zero tolerance approach to illicit drug use and supply at our facilities. We regularly search patients for contraband, including drugs, in accordance with the provisions of the Mental Health Act and involve police where necessary.”
The spokesperson said the hospital after learning of any assault would prepare a report for police.
Vicious public assault ‘could not be stopped’
A man who "couldn't be stopped" when he grabbed his partner by the hair and dragged her 100m through a Gold Coast shopping centre car park has now faced court over two dozen charges.
‘I’m not going to promise you anything’
A mother facing a string of drug offences was perhaps too honest with a magistrate yesterday after she initially couldn’t guarantee being on her best behaviour.