Ipswich Hospital nurses still at risk one year after raising night shift fears: NPAQ

Disturbing first-hand accounts of abuse, harassment and vandalism continue to be reported by terrified female nurses and workers at a major southeast hospital, a full year after they raised the alarm.

• Watch: Nurses stalked on terrifying route

Nurses and other female workers say nothing has been done to improve safety on night shift at Ipswich Hospital, one year after being promised the problem would be fixed.

There were still only 15 designated parking spaces for the entire hospital night shift, Nurses’ Professional Association of Queensland president Kara Thomas said.

She wrote to West Moreton Health (WMH), which runs the hospital, yet again last month but said the response did not address her members’ concerns.

One particularly dark street around the facility was so feared nurses have dubbed it “rape alley’’.

“Our recent member survey has provided disturbing first-hand accounts that demonstrate this is not merely an inconvenience, but a genuine safety and workforce crisis issue,’’ Ms Thomas said in her letter.

Kara Thomas says have to walk to work along dark roads and alleys. Photo: Lucas Salvatori

“The current situation where nurses must arrive hours early (unpaid time) for shifts, experience anxiety about parking, or avoid certain shifts altogether is unacceptable and unsustainable.

“Our members deserve to feel safe arriving at and leaving their workplace, especially those providing essential care during evening and night hours.’’

She said despite several safety improvements including CCTV upgrades, a shuttle service and security escorts, the fundamental issue remained unresolved.

Although there was adequate night shift parking, she said the real problem was for those working 2-11pm shifts, who had to walk home in the dark because it was so hard to finds a secure, nearby park in the early afternoon.

The 15 designated parking spots, which opened at 1pm, were filled “immediately”.

Some frightened nurses said they turned up more than an hour early for their shift and circled in their cars until the gates went up.

The survey found staff rated the workplace environment as “very unsafe” or “somewhat unsafe” due to poor lighting, lack of security presence, and isolated walking routes.

Although WMH said no serious incidents had been logged, the survey revealed some staff had been physically intimidated or harassed, verbally abused or had their cars vandalised on surrounding streets.

Meredith Ln (aka Rape Alley) in Ipswich near Ipswich Hospital. Photo: Lucas Salvatori

The survey found 33 per cent of NPAQ members reported that they avoided after-hours work specifically due to parking concerns.

West Moreton Health Executive Director of People and Culture, Grant Wallace, said the safety and wellbeing of staff and patients was their top priority.

“While no major concerns have been recorded in this system to date, we want to assure our staff that their safety matters and encourage them to speak up if needed,’’ he said.

“We take the concerns raised by the Nurses’ Professional Association of Queensland seriously and are working closely with them and local authorities as required.

“Additionally, we’ve prioritised a risk assessment of our car parks to ensure a safe environment.

“We recognise the high demand for parking at Ipswich Hospital.

“As part of our long-term plan, we are building a multistorey car park on Roderick St which will provide more than 800 undercover spaces for staff and visitors.’’

The free shuttle service operated daily from 6am-11.20pm, with flexible pick-up/drop-off options after 5pm. A security guard was present at night.

Ipswich Hospital Foundation also ran two multistorey, 24-hour car parks equipped with CCTV and duress alarms.

At least four security guards were rostered in the evenings, but nurses said they often were busy controlling violent patients or on other duties.

Ms Thomas urged WMH to hold an urgent meeting with the union and Ipswich City Council to come up with fast solutions, including an immediate increase in dedicated afternoon shift parking spaces in secure areas.

She said Mayor Teresa Harding had indicated she would be happy to meet.

“Our members deserve to feel safe arriving at and leaving their workplace, especially those providing essential care during evening and night hours,’’ she said.

Originally published as Ipswich Hospital nurses still at risk one year after raising night shift fears: NPAQ