New Code Grey guidelines form blitz on hospital violence

HOSPITALS have been ordered to crack down on violent patients under new Code Grey regulations aimed at protecting healthcare workers and fellow patients.

A CRACKDOWN on violence in Victoria’s hospitals will see health services having to take a stronger stance against aggressive patients to protect staff.

With up to 95 per cent of healthcare workers having been subjected to physical or verbal attacks while trying to caring for patients and save lives, hospitals will now be required to implement new statewide standards to respond to and report incidents.

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Neurosurgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann, 41, who died after an alleged assault outside Box Hill Hospital in May.

Previously hospitals have set their own guidelines on what constituted a “Code Grey” incident.

But under Australian-first guidelines, the state’s hospital will now a standardised code dictating minimum requirements on how to respond to threats.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the code demanded the training of staff, approaches to handling difficult or aggressive patients and visitors, and was intended to change the culture so staff were encouraged to report bad behaviour.

“Our new Code Grey standards will ensure all hospitals, no matter how big or small, can prevent violence and keep their staff and patients safe,” she said.

“We are sending a strong message that violence against healthcare workers is never OK. There is simply no excuse and violence will never be tolerated.”

Under the changes, hospitals must call a Code Grey situation for any real or perceived threat and have specifically trained staff respond immediately to reduce the risk to staff, patients and visitors.

The action follows the death of neurosurgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann, 41, who died after an alleged assault outside Box Hill Hospital on May 30.

Joseph Esmaili, 22, has been charged over the alleged incident.

Earlier this year, the Andrews government also launched the “It’s never OK” campaign, hoped to reduce aggression against healthcare workers and paramedics, as well as a $40 million Health Service Violence Prevention Fund including the rollout of behavioural assessment rooms at 16 Victorian hospitals.