Scott Memorial Hospital security issues

DALE McNamara, One Nation Party candidate for the upcoming by-election said, if elected he will fight for 24 hour security at Scott Memorial Hospital in Scone, as staff and patients currently have no security after 10 pm from Monday to Thursday.

Mr McNamara will also push for adequate facilities to separate violent patients from other patients and staff.

“There are people who present at Scone hospital with violent tendencies as a result of drug abuse or untreated mental illness. Our doctors and nursing staff having given so much for our community, particularly during this time of COVID-19. What a poor way for the government to treat them,” Mr McNamara said.

“Why is it that the Libs and Nats have neglected the safety of patients and staff and left them to fend for themselves?” he questioned.

After speaking with hospital staff last week, Mr McNamara and the Hon. Rod Roberts MLC were shocked to learn about the lack or security.

“Why should the safety of nurses, patients and other staff at Scone Hospital be treated any differently to people in Sydney. If anything security in regional hospitals is just as, if not more important than hospital security in the city due to the large distances between services in the bush,” said Mr Roberts.

“I have written to the Minister for Health stating my concern that the lack of security has created an unsafe environment for both staff and patients,” Mr Roberts said.

Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes has slammed the NSW Government for allowing this to happen and is calling for security staff to be in place at Scone Hospital at all times.

“There is a constant risk of violence at hospitals due to drug and alcohol affected patients as well as those suffering from mental health issues. That is why it is essential for security staff to be in place at all times,” Mr Hayes said.

“It is not good enough to have security staff on for just three nights of the week and some afternoons with the hope local police officers can fill the void,” he said.

“There are also no adequate facilities to isolate violent patients while staff wait for police to arrive . . . safety at work is a basic right and healthcare workers, as well as the public, deserve more from the NSW Government,” he said.

Upper Hunter candidates expressed similar concerns for health care workers and current health standards in the region.

Where other candidates stand

In alphabetical order

Sue Abbott, Greens Party: 

“There should be ample security and a zero tolerance approach in keeping all the hospital staff; the wards men the nurses, the doctors, safe,” Sue Abbott said.

“We know in a rural area that police are thinly spread and it’s not their fault, it’s just the way it is, we’re not funded properly,” she said.

“When you feel threatened, you can’t do your job properly,” said Sue Abbott.

Sue Gilroy, Shooters Farmers and Fishers Party: 

“There has been a comprehensive investigation into this security and hospitals problem. The report was handed down in February 2020, so the government has been sitting on this since that,” Sue Gilroy said.

“There absolutely is a need for 24 hour security and there is a need for security designated people. In some of our hospitals we have security people that are also cleaners. They should be appropriately qualified to actually deliver that security,” she said.

“Our nurses are art the forefront of our health. They are out frontline, they protected us through COVID-19 plus they protect us through everything that happens in that emergency department every night of the week. They should be protected, they should go to work knowing they have appropriate protection if a drug affected patient turns up or someone suffering from mental illness,” she said.

“If you’re dealing with a drug affected patient who perhaps has taken methamphetamine, they can perhaps become stronger and more violent. if they are a male, they are often bigger by the nurse. The size, the affects of the drug and the fact that they haven’t got people to help them to properly obtain, they’re putting our nurses at risk,” she said.

“I’m a nurse, I’ve been there, I’ve had to deal with it. Dealing with a violent patient is really difficult number one, really uncomfortable number two and you do fear for your safety. That shouldn’t happen.

“This is where our police coverage comes into it as well, we have police transporting prisoners, away from our police station. it’s a compounding affect of it all coming together and it’s putting our health professionals at risk,” said Sue Gilroy.

Kate Fraser, Independent:

“A great benefit would be 24 hour police presence in Scone,” Kate Fraser said.

“We have far better services than a lot of places, let’s not say we haven’t. We hospitals that operate 24 hours a day, we have a doctor on call 24/7 and yes security is essential but it’s for the staff and the patients,” she said.

“I think there should be added security, 24/7 security available at all hospitals and adjacent to that, it would be desirable to have 24 hour police presence in Scone,” she said.

“The staff should be able to do their job without worrying about their safety or the safety of any patients,” said Kate Fraser.

Tracy Norman, Independent:

“I think there’s a lot of issues around health and hospitals that need addressing. the security of our staff, particularly when they’re working at night is of upmost importance,” Tracy Norman said.

“Often the violence that is occurring is to do with drug taking. Putting on 24 hour security is a great idea for protecting our staff, our very vital staff that obviously outside business hours, operate an emergency services,” she said.

“There’s root causes to this and mental health and drugs, methamphetamines that often lead to this violence is a huge problem that needs addressing,” she said.

“Throwing money at a symptom rather than the problem is what seems to be happening in this by-election . . . really there’s a lot of root causes that need to be addressed.

“To me, we need to be supporting our health care worker but we also need to be addressing the greater issue of mental health, which is a major problem,” said Tracy Norman.

Kirsty O’Connell, Independent: 

“I think it’s a basic request that the people who care for us and the people who keep us safe should in turn, be safe in their jobs and be well resourced in their jobs,” Kirsty O’Connell said.

“To me, this is symptomatic of the complete under investment that we are seeing from the government in local services. health in particular is close to my heart because my mum was a nurse as Muswellbrook hospital for a long time,” she said.

“It’s nothing to do with the staff, we have brilliant staff but they need to be better resourced. Now we’re in a situation where you’re only able to have a baby delivered on certain day because we’ve only got one obstetrician available,” she said.

“Our hospitals are woefully under resources and for me, that is an absolute top priority. We produce more than a billion dollars in coal royalties each year, it is ridiculous that we do not have adequate health services.

“This underinvestment not only is a problem from an equity perspective, it’s also a problem in terms of our ability to grow and create new jobs in this region,” said Kirsty O’Connell.

Steve Reynolds, Independent:

“I’ve witnessed this problem myself. I’ve spent plenty of time at hospitals and Muswellbrook, they’ve got the safe room there and can monitor patients via cameras,” Steve Reynolds said.

“We don’t get the same treatment as metropolitan places . . . we need the support,” he said.

“You shouldn’t have kids in an unsafe environment. if you’re at a hospital late of a night time with a child that is unwell, you shouldn’t have that extra fear, you’ve got your own concerns. There needs to be policies and procedures in place. Saying the police are there and can assist, well they’re not because they’re overworked and burnt out,” he said.

“We need the true and accurate figures out there about police numbers in our area . . . we need extra numbers but we need the funding to make it happen,” he said.

“It’s great the Premier is up here, but I hope she doesn’t have an incident because she’ll be waiting half an hour for the police to arrive,” said Steve Reynolds.

Labor candidate Jeff Drayton and Nationals candidate David Layzell were contacted for comment.