Frontline health staff raising more Code Black calls due to rising aggression and intimidation

Code Black calls for help from hospital staff facing intimidation, verbal threats and physicals assaults are on the rise with one regional area seeing them rise from seven to 159 in three years.

Brad Crouch

@Bradcrouch

2 min read

February 14, 2025 - 9:30AM

Disturbing reality for nurses as assaults surge

SA News

Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.

‘Nurses duck punches’ as violence on the rise

Code Black calls for security help from frightened health workers have spiralled in nine of the 10 Local Health Network public hospitals across the state, new data obtained by The Advertiser shows.

The updated data shows SA Health staff calling for urgent security help an average of 40 times every day.

In the Limestone Coast, calls for help rocketed from just seven in 2021 to 159 last year, while in Yorke and Northern they soared from 45 to 211 and in Eyre and Far North they went from 27 to 73.

The calls rose significantly across all the major city networks except the biggest.

The Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) covering the flagship Royal Adelaide Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital recorded 4525 such calls last year, down from 5085 in 2021.

In total, including dental, research facilities, screening services and aged care homes as well as public hospitals, Code Black calls rose from 12,990 in 2021 to 14,816 in 2024.

Damaged doors at Riverland Hospital after a violent incident with a patient.

Department for Health & Wellbeing acting deputy chief executive clinical system support & improvement, Jeanette Walters said abuse and violence against hospital staff and patients in any form is unacceptable and can lead to a conviction of assault.

“SA Health records incidents and threats of aggression as a Code Black Security Incident or Code Black on its incident management system called the Safety Learning System,” she said.

“A Code Black call can be used as a preventive measure to de-escalate a situation before an incident occurs, not just because a violent incident has occurred.

“Work is being done on making staff and consumers safer, including establishing security coverage in regional hubs, including Murray Bridge and Port Pirie, embarking on infrastructure projects that improve and expand safety and security measures, with upgrades like expanded CCTV capacity, security screens and dedicated points of entry.

“Ongoing training for all workers, including security contractors, is recommended, and one element proposed in the Positive Behaviour Support Framework that recently went out for consultation and will be finalised in coming months.

“The Framework aims to support an environment where workers, consumers and visitors feel safe at any SA Health site and will outline the critical elements and objectives SA Health will prioritise to promote and ensure a safe workplace.

“The ‘Respectful Behaviours’ campaign was launched last year to highlight behaviours our healthcare workers face and urge the public to look after those who look after them.”

SA Health staff are trained in working with consumers who display behaviours of concern, including behaviour influenced by intoxication, or medical conditions which require specialised interventions such as dementia or mental illness.

SA Health have a 24/7 security presence at metropolitan and larger regional hospitals, who are able to manage the majority of Code Black incidents without the need for external intervention such as SAPOL.