Middlemore health worker hurt in violent attack, WorkSafe urged to act

By RNZ

A violent attack on a staff member at Middlemore Hospital on Thursday night has left the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) looking for answers from WorkSafe.

Counties Manukau Health confirmed a staff member was attacked at 4.45pm and was treated for injuries. Security was called and police attended.

It follows this week's release of a report by the Counties Manukau District Health Board that showed violent and aggressive behaviour towards nurses and other health workers was on ongoing problem.

The data showed 16 physical assaults in March, 11 cases of aggressive or threatening behaviour and seven incidents of inappropriate behaviour.

Two patients were found with weapons, including a homemade wooden shank.

The paper said the figures didn't include Emergency Department "Code Orange" events, when medical staff had to call for security, or other assistance.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) professional nursing advisor Suzanne Rolls said nurses and healthcare workers had to deal with violent and aggressive behaviour daily.

"This is endemic in our workplaces," she said. "That's why we're calling on WorkSafe to do better."

Rolls said the NZNO has been in talks with WorkSafe for the past two years, but had not seen any meaningful change.

"WorkSafe has formulated some guidelines for the DHBs, but we think they need to go beyond that and carry out inspections where there has been harm or injury," Rolls said.

"We've said to WorkSafe that they don't go far enough. They are voluntary and they aren't mandatory standards.

"We've got a regulator that is not taking the issue of workplace violence in healthcare seriously enough and nurses are being injured."

According to WorkSafe's website it should be notified when people become seriously injury or ill at work or because of work a business or organisation was responsible for.

A WorkSafe spokesperson said it had not bee told about Thursday's attack at Middlemore Hospital.

"It is important to note that violent crimes are investigated by police, as the most appropriate agency to intervene.

"The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 requires that a business ensures, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all its workers."

They did not respond to questions about the NZNO's call for WorkSafe to investigate violence against healthcare workers.

A spokesperson for Counties Manukau Health said it was trying to address the ongoing violence and aggressive behaviour towards staff, including comparing data across the whole organisation.

"This programme of work was completed in March 2020 and plans are under way to make the changes to our staff incident reporting system to align the various reporting tools that are currently in use.

"There are a number of reviews and workstreams under way looking at all aspects of violent and aggressive behaviour, improved emergency response solutions and security at DHB sites."

They said Counties Manukau also had a range of training plans available for staff, including a violence intervention programme for staff in high risk areas, such as emergency care and mental health.