2000+ people assaulted within NT Health clinics amid a ‘staggering’ spike in violence
Two thousand Territorians were assaulted while within our healthcare system in 12 months, as a ‘staggering’ wave of violence results in a spike in assaults against patients, doctors and nurses.
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Six Territorians are assaulted every day within the healthcare system as a ‘staggering’ wave of violence continues to impact doctors, nurses and patients.
The NT Health Minister has revealed staggering assault statistics within the Territory’s hospitals and health clinics, with a 63 per cent increase in violence in just 12 months.
In a response to a written question on notice from the CLP Opposition, then-Health Minister Natasha Fyles confirmed there were 1570 assaults on health workers and 598 recorded instances of violence against patients or their families in 2022-23.
One of the most violent places of healing was Royal Darwin Hospital, where 670 staff and 348 patients and family members were attacked in 2022-23.
This is an average of three assaults a day at the Darwin hospital alone.
Alice Springs health workers bore the brunt of a spike in assaults, with violence rates more than doubling to a total of 479 incidents against workers.
Attacks on workers also increased in Darwin, Palmerston and Tennant Creek, but fell significantly in Katherine and Gove District Hospital.
Assaults against patients and their families jumped from 406 to 598 incidents in 2022-23, with the worst increases in Palmerston, Darwin and Alice Springs.
The NT Health annual report said there was a $1.4 million increase to the workers compensation costs in the last financial year — a 21 per cent increase — bringing the total health payout to $7.8m.
While another response to questions on notice revealed there were 156 open workers compensation claims for NT Health as of November.
Ms Fyles also disclosed that police were called to attend Territory health clinics 80 times in the last financial year.
There was also 23 instances of criminal damage in 2023-22, up from 19 in the previous year.
The spike in assaults comes as the hospital system strains under the pressures of 10,000 additional emergency department admissions and 3666 elective surgeries compared to the previous year, according to the NT Health annual report.
Over that same period the health service lost 582 full-time equivalent workers, according to the Public Employment Commissioner, dropping to 7373 workers across the entire NT Health network in the latest June quarter.
The Health department’s annual report attributed many of its failed key performance indicators on clinical staff shortages, particularly in remote areas and in specialist fields.
However, opposition health spokesman Bill Yan said the rates of violence in Territory health centres was a “damning indictment” of a lack of adequate support and security.
“The staggering number of physical assaults on hospital staff in the Northern Territory this year is disgusting,” Mr Yan said.
“Any form of assault on a human being should never be tolerated, but that of a health care provider assisting those in need of medical attention is deplorable.”
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