❓ Question regarding Code Black incidents at Geraldton Health Campus and measures to prevent attacks on staff. Answer outlines government initiatives including a summit, investment, public awareness campaign, and hospital upgrades.
AnsweredQoN 819Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GERALDTON HEALTH CAMPUS — CODE BLACK
INCIDENTS
819. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Health:
I refer to The Geraldton Guardian article of 10
September this year headlined ''Vicious attacks on hospital staff''.
Given that Geraldton Health Campus accounts for a large proportion of code
black, as reported by the WA Country Health Service, what measures are being
put in place to prevent attacks on hospital staff and what after care, if any,
is provided to hospital staff who are victims of assaults or other code black
incidents?
INCIDENTS
819. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Health:
I refer to The Geraldton Guardian article of 10
September this year headlined ''Vicious attacks on hospital staff''.
Given that Geraldton Health Campus accounts for a large proportion of code
black, as reported by the WA Country Health Service, what measures are being
put in place to prevent attacks on hospital staff and what after care, if any,
is provided to hospital staff who are victims of assaults or other code black
incidents?
AnswerView source ↗
We have spoken in this chamber on a number of occasions about
the government's response to the notorious but general perception
around violence on hospital staff. In June, the government held a summit of
hospital leaders, doctors, nurses and security guards right across the system
to get feedback about what people on the front line thought they needed to do
to make sure that they were better protected in the workplace. One attack on
any member of the health workforce is one attack too many. We also have to make
sure that we accept the reality that sometimes antisocial behaviour will occur
in our hospitals and we put measures in place to make sure that we protect
them. The government has invested $5 million as part of a program in relation
to that. We will be running a public awareness campaign to make sure that
people are aware of their obligations when they are accessing world-class
health care in Western Australia. In particular, it becomes difficult in a hospital
environment when the demand continues to put the hospital infrastructure under
pressure. That is why the member for Geraldton will be delighted to hear that
we have policies in place to see the first upgrades to Geraldton hospital since
we last had a Labor government. These upgrades will make sure that there is an
expansion in the emergency department, growth in the acute mental health
services that we provide at that hospital and a continuation of the investment
in the workplace of the staff, making sure that the staff continue to feel
valued in their role.
the government's response to the notorious but general perception
around violence on hospital staff. In June, the government held a summit of
hospital leaders, doctors, nurses and security guards right across the system
to get feedback about what people on the front line thought they needed to do
to make sure that they were better protected in the workplace. One attack on
any member of the health workforce is one attack too many. We also have to make
sure that we accept the reality that sometimes antisocial behaviour will occur
in our hospitals and we put measures in place to make sure that we protect
them. The government has invested $5 million as part of a program in relation
to that. We will be running a public awareness campaign to make sure that
people are aware of their obligations when they are accessing world-class
health care in Western Australia. In particular, it becomes difficult in a hospital
environment when the demand continues to put the hospital infrastructure under
pressure. That is why the member for Geraldton will be delighted to hear that
we have policies in place to see the first upgrades to Geraldton hospital since
we last had a Labor government. These upgrades will make sure that there is an
expansion in the emergency department, growth in the acute mental health
services that we provide at that hospital and a continuation of the investment
in the workplace of the staff, making sure that the staff continue to feel
valued in their role.
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