A 73-year-old woman sustained serious injuries last month after reportedly being assaulted by a man in the emergency department of the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.
Peter Allely, the president of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, highlighted that incidents of violence in emergency departments are both “extremely significant” and “largely under-reported” across Australia.
This incident has sparked demands for enhanced measures, including better documentation of violent occurrences and an increase in security personnel within hospitals.
The victim was attacked by a 43-year-old male patient who allegedly struck her multiple times in an unprovoked assault shortly before 11:30 PM on August 23.
According to the Queensland Police Service (QPS), the assault took place inside the emergency department of Princess Alexandra Hospital, located in Woolloongabba. The victim suffered severe facial injuries during the altercation.
A spokesperson for QPS confirmed that medical staff intervened, and the assailant was apprehended shortly thereafter. He has been charged with grievous bodily harm and is currently in custody, with a court appearance scheduled for later this month.
The hospital administration acknowledged the incident, stating that support was extended to both the injured patient and the staff members who witnessed the event. A spokesperson reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to safety, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy toward violence and aggressive behavior.
Metro South Health, which oversees the Princess Alexandra Hospital, has reportedly taken “substantial steps” to tackle occupational violence, including the deployment of security officers available around the clock. They have invested over $37 million to increase security personnel and enhance safety measures such as CCTV, body-worn cameras, duress alarms, peer support programs, and de-escalation training for staff.
The injured woman has since been released from the hospital.
In response to the growing concern about violence in overcrowded emergency departments, ABC News requested annual statistics from Metro South Health regarding assaults on patients and staff, but did not receive any data.
Dr. Allely noted that violence in emergency departments is often overlooked, contrasting the media coverage of similar incidents in other settings. He pointed to overcrowding as a significant factor contributing to rising aggression levels, stating that while violence is inexcusable, it is worsened by the challenging conditions in emergency units.
He emphasized that emergency environments, with their constant activity and limited facilities, are not conducive to prolonged patient stays.
Last year, the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine published a report titled “Breaking Point — An Urgent Call to Action on Emergency Department Safety,” which revealed that 90% of surveyed emergency department staff reported experiencing violence from patients or their companions within the previous week. The report recommended creating a robust reporting culture for violent incidents and strengthening the presence of well-trained security personnel in emergency settings.
Data from the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare indicates that assaults are the second leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among healthcare workers, trailing only falls, with rates nearly doubling since 2015-16.
Dr. Allely expressed frustration over the lack of meaningful governmental action to address this issue and called for a focused approach on managing overcrowding as a priority.
The Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU) echoed these calls for action. Secretary Sarah Beaman stated that the situation regarding violence in hospitals has reached crisis levels. She noted that many healthcare workers enter their shifts with a sense of fear, which hinders their ability to provide care effectively.
Survey results indicated that 82% of over 8,000 QNMU members reported experiencing workplace violence within the past year. The union is advocating for increased state investment in de-escalation programs and improved reporting mechanisms.
Ms. Beaman stressed the importance of workplace safety in retaining healthcare professionals, warning that the loss of staff would jeopardize the provision of safe, high-quality care.
