Violence in Darling Downs public hospitals worst in Queensland

Darling Downs hospital workers have spoken out after a survey revealed eight out of 10 hospital staff have experienced workplace violence. Here’s what they have to say:

Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service Toowoomba Hospital as seen from Pechey St, Friday, June 14, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Hospital staff have spoken out after a survey revealed that workers in the Darling Downs - which stretches across Toowoomba, Warwick, Dalby and Kingaroy - were the most likely in Queensland to experience violence at work.

Two workers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, are now sounding the alarm on short staffing numbers, inaccessible training and follow-up, and lack of safety equipment, such as stab-proof vests.

“I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, and as soon as I turned my back to go and get something, I got severely kicked in the back and I went flying across the room,” a Darling Downs Health nurse said.

“I’ve had a drip thrown at me and have watched security officers get backed into corners and flogged by patients,” another Darling Downs hospital worker said.

It comes as the Australian Workers Union released survey results which revealed eight out of 10 Darling Downs Health hospital staff who responded had been assaulted or had witnessed assault.

Hurting our heroes: Darling Downs Hospital and Health Workers speak out. Source: Australian Workers Union

Hospitals are high-tension environments - life and death walk through its halls daily, the mental and emotional stakes are strung on a tightrope which intersects with frailty, vulnerability and care.

The safety of workers in mental health and dementia wards have been long under inspection and review, particularly since 2013 after a number of Baillie Henderson health workers were violently assaulted by patients in the Ridley mental health unit.

But the threat workers who spoke to The Chronicle most feared was from alcohol and drug users.

“If you’re not drunk or if you’re not influenced by any sort of drugs, people tend to be a bit more sober and a bit more level-headed and you can actually converse with them,” the nurse said.

After more than 15 years in the job, they said they had been near-strangled, kicked in the back, and punched in the side of the head.

According to additional statistics released from the AWU, there were on average two violent incidents reported a day across the region’s health facilities for the past two years.

The health workers estimated hospital staff would easily see occasions of assault five to seven times a day, especially if counting the entire Darling Downs region.

Whether physical of verbal abuse, it often brought an unseen toll back home to loving partners who bore the brunt of it, they said.

“At the end of the day, I’m the one sitting at the dining table crying with the big fat bruise on the side of my face,” the nurse said.

While security officers are available and on hand, they are often seen working alone, rather than in pairs.

In addition, security workers were prevented from wearing stab-proof vests as they had been told they look “too tactical”, despite their serious concerns violent situations could escalate with the use of knives.

Both staff said online training was available, but not useful, and offline training required travel, meaning taking precious time away from families.

Hurting our heroes: Darling Downs Hospital and Health Workers speak out. Source: Australian Workers Union

The hospital worker said they were simply dismissed when voicing their safety concerns.

“We need more safety, more hospital security, not just sent a link to the employees’ assistance portal,” they said.

In a move that was welcomed by the both the AWU and the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union, the state government’s June budget announced funding for 70 full-time equivalent security officers and 2600 more nurses and midwives.

While this is steps in the right direction, equipping security officers still remains important, AWU secretary Stacey Schinnerl said.

“There is no reason why a security officer at one facility should have less equipment than a security officer at another facility,” she said.

In response, a Darling Downs Health spokesman said the organisation took “reasonably practicable measures” to prevent assaults in its facilities.

“Darling Downs Health is committed to the safety and security of its workers at all times and recognises that in the course of providing healthcare to patients and consumers, workers may be exposed to acts of violence and aggression,” he said.

“Protective equipment provided to security personnel is continually considered in the context of dynamic risk in the healthcare setting.”