'Our hospitals are not safe places to work' - hundreds of assaults on staff at Tauranga Hospital

There were more than 300 assaults on staff reported at Tauranga Hosptial over the past three years. Photo / George Novak

While most people go to work without fear of being assaulted, many staff at Tauranga Hospital do not have that luxury. Hundreds of staff have been at the receiving end of verbal, physical, sexual and psychological abuse by the people who they care for over the last few years. Bay of Plenty Times health reporter Jean Bell looks into the numbers of the issue and what health industry figures have to say.

There have been more than 300 assaults on staff at Tauranga Hospital in three years, according to new figures.

A medical union says hospitals are not safe places to work and assaults still go unreported, but Bay of Plenty District Health Board leaders say reducing risks to staff is a top priority and staff are strongly encouraged to report assaults.

The DHB recorded 330 patient assaults against hospital staff between June 2016 and June 2019, according to data provided to the Bay of Plenty Times under the Official Information Act.

More than a third - 161 - were physical assaults, while 62 involved a physical threat.

New Zealand Resident Doctors' Association national secretary Dr Deborah Powell said workplace violence was a "serious problem" in all public hospitals.

"Our hospitals are not safe places to work," she said.

New Zealand Resident Doctors' Association national secretary Dr Deborah Powell. Photo / Supplied

She said a doctor recently told her the fear of violence was part of the job.

"How damn sad is that. These people are doctors, nurses, radiographers- whatever they are, they are people who care and it's just unacceptable."

Workplace culture in hospitals contributed to the issue, with staff feeling they had to put up with violence in order to put patients first, as well as having a perception that DHBs would not do anything even if an assault was reported.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation professional nursing advisor Suzanne Rolls said hospitals were required to provide a safe place to work.

"We don't accept violence in any form."

Workplace assault was underreported but this was improving.

While understaffing was a driver of violence in the health system, the Bay of Plenty DHB was working through a Government-endorsed programme to help ensure safer staffing, she said.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation professional nursing advisor Suzanne Rolls. Photo / File

Owen Wallace, the DHB's general manager of corporate services said: "Far from being ignored, the issue of violence towards staff, and reducing that risk, is recognised at management and governance levels as one of the DHB's major priorities."

Wallace said the DHB continually looked to improve in this area and it had a plan to reduce the risk to staff.

DHB health and safety manager George Swanepoel said Tauranga Hospital worked hard to maintain a safe environment but a small percentage of patients were offensive or aggressive.

He said staff members were strongly encouraged to report assaults and he believed the reported figures reflected the number of actual assaults.

The hospital had a range of measures in place to ensure the wellbeing of staff, patients and visitors, he said.

There were more than 300 assaults on staff reported at Tauranga Hosptial over the past three years. Photo / George Novak

These included high-impact glass installed in the emergency department reception to protect staff and duress alarms across the hospital to silently alert the duty manager and security.

Security guards trained in de-escalation techniques were in the emergency department and the mental health unit, Te Whare Maiangiangi, every day, he said.

Employees went through a de-brief process and were offered help after an assault event, with any risks identified followed up as necessary, he said.

DHB medical director and medical advisor Dr Hugh Lees said people often came to the hospital in a distressed state and staff did their best to de-escalate any situations that arose as a result.

He said hospital data showed staff reporting of assault was improving.

Registered nurse and former Tauranga Hospital emergency department nurse Marion Guy. File photo

Registered nurse and former Tauranga Hospital emergency department nurse Marion Guy, who sits on the health board, said there should be "zero tolerance" for violence against staff.

"No staff member should go to work feeling intimidated or bullied."

She said the health board encouraged staff to support each other and speak up about on-the-job violence when she worked in the hospital around a decade ago.

Despite the challenges of the job, Guy said it was rewarding.

"Nursing can be tough but it's still a great profession."

Ministry of Health chief medical officer, Dr Andrew Simpson, said the ministry was always concerned to hear about violence towards healthcare workers. Workplace violence was unacceptable.

He said DHBs were responsible for ensuring the safety of their staff but the ministry was in regular contact with them about a range of issues, including staff safety.

He said the ministry participated in a DHB-led wellbeing group where topics like workplace violence were discussed.

By the numbers
Patient assaults on hospital staff from June 2016 to June 2019.

Physical contact (actual assault) - 161
Physical threat (no contact) - 62
Verbal abuse - 41
Psychological abuse (bullying and harassment) - 7
Sexual (including harassment and indecent exposure) - 6
Verbal abuse with racial content - 5
Verbal abuse with gender content - 2
Other not specified - 46

Total - 330 assaults

Source: Bay of Plenty District Health Board

Where to get help
Any reports or complaints about workplace bullying or harassment, patient abuse, or any other activity which may be of concern, can be made anonymously to the Health Integrity Line. Reports on concerns raised will be passed on to the appropriate agency to follow up
Call the Health Integrity Line on 0800 424 888
Source: Ministry of Health