❓ Mr. Marmion questions the government's plan to protect healthcare workers from assaults, referencing a specific incident. The Minister responds by highlighting existing government initiatives and criticising the opposition's lack of prior action.
AnsweredQoN 704Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEALTH STAFF —
ASSAULTS AGAINST
704. Mr W.R. MARMION to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the paramedic who was
brutally bashed at Midland Public Hospital.
When is this government going to
start protecting nurses to stop the epidemic of assaults against healthcare
workers through the initiatives just mentioned by the Premier, and what are
these initiatives?
ASSAULTS AGAINST
704. Mr W.R. MARMION to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the paramedic who was
brutally bashed at Midland Public Hospital.
When is this government going to
start protecting nurses to stop the epidemic of assaults against healthcare
workers through the initiatives just mentioned by the Premier, and what are
these initiatives?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
Of
course, the member would have heard from me on previous occasions when I have
provided a great deal of detail about our policies on this. Perhaps I would
also ask the member for Nedlands why the Liberal–National Party went to
the last election without a single policy on security for nursing staff. Not a single
policy was uttered at the last election that would demonstrate any level of
care for doctors and nurses working on the front line. We had policies that we
put out; on day one, the Premier announced our policies on that. We made a $2.2
million commitment to provide extra capacity and resources for frontline staff.
In addition to that, we held a summit on violence in our hospitals in June this
year, which brought together doctors, nurses, security staff, hospital leaders
and others to work out what issues we need to address on violence against our
staff. Of course, paramedics are an important element of that. Out of that
summit, we produced a $5 million package, which is about flexing up our
security; making sure we have more resources in our emergency departments; and,
in addition to that, ensuring that ongoing work continues with the Department
of Health and the Western Australia Police Force on the protocols around
handing over staff between the police and the doctors and the emergency
department. That work continues, and we are also looking at other measures,
including in-reach for police facilities for those patients who require medical
attention. That is a comprehensive response, which is worthy of a government
that considers the security and protection of our frontline workers to be of
utmost importance.
Of
course, the member would have heard from me on previous occasions when I have
provided a great deal of detail about our policies on this. Perhaps I would
also ask the member for Nedlands why the Liberal–National Party went to
the last election without a single policy on security for nursing staff. Not a single
policy was uttered at the last election that would demonstrate any level of
care for doctors and nurses working on the front line. We had policies that we
put out; on day one, the Premier announced our policies on that. We made a $2.2
million commitment to provide extra capacity and resources for frontline staff.
In addition to that, we held a summit on violence in our hospitals in June this
year, which brought together doctors, nurses, security staff, hospital leaders
and others to work out what issues we need to address on violence against our
staff. Of course, paramedics are an important element of that. Out of that
summit, we produced a $5 million package, which is about flexing up our
security; making sure we have more resources in our emergency departments; and,
in addition to that, ensuring that ongoing work continues with the Department
of Health and the Western Australia Police Force on the protocols around
handing over staff between the police and the doctors and the emergency
department. That work continues, and we are also looking at other measures,
including in-reach for police facilities for those patients who require medical
attention. That is a comprehensive response, which is worthy of a government
that considers the security and protection of our frontline workers to be of
utmost importance.
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