The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) has welcomed Health Minister Jill Hennessy’s announcement to increase security guards and mobile security patrol services in Victorian hospitals.
Minister Hennessy this week announced $6.7 million to increase security at 44 Victorian hospital sites.
ANMF (Vic Branch) Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert said ‘Extra security guards are an essential part of the response needed to keep nurses and midwives safe at work.
‘We acknowledge the work hospitals have done to identify areas of high risk and apply for the funding to boost their security to protect staff, patients and visitors.
‘It’s important that these security guards have appropriate health-specific training for responding to violence in a clinical setting,’ Mr Gilbert said
‘There’ll be no room for a set and forget approach and health services will have to work to ensure security guards are positioned according to the ever-changing risks and ensure there are standardised security audits of healthcare facilities and security equipment.’
ANMF has long campaigned that improved security is part of the solution to end violence in the Victorian health care system.
‘It’s important for hospitals to understand that their culture, communication, clinical risk assessment and reporting systems must be integrated with a clear executive-level direction that the goal is to prevent violence,” Mr Gilbert said.
‘Nurses and midwives experience unacceptable violence on every shift in emergency departments, birthing suites, general medical and surgical wards, aged care, mental health and palliative care.
‘There has never been a government more motivated to address the growing violence in our healthcare system and make it safe for nurses and midwives to go to work,’ he said.
