Safety improvements for frontline healthcare staff
As part of the Andrews Labor Government’s $20 million Health Service Violence Prevention Fund, the second round of funding has been released by the Victorian Government to help prevent violence against frontline staff in the healthcare sector.
30 rural hospitals and nine metropolitan hospitals, as well as 10 mental health services, will share in more than $7 million in funding.
The second round will see significant safety and security upgrades at these services, including additional CCTV, more personal duress devices and alarms, and new infrastructure such as security doors, windows and restricted access areas.
Both frontline workers and patients will benefit from the additional safety measures.
“Our dedicated healthcare workers put themselves in incredibly vulnerable positions on our frontline — they deserve to feel as safe and secure as possible in the important work they do,” said Minister for Health Jill Hennessy.
In addition, $500,000 will be provided for Ambulance Victoria to trial body worn cameras on paramedic uniforms and evaluate their effectiveness in protecting paramedics and reducing violence.
The Victorian Auditor-General’s Report into Occupational Health Violence against Healthcare Workers found nurses, doctors, paramedics and other healthcare workers face particular risks because “they are at the frontline when it comes to dealing with people in stressful, unpredictable and potentially volatile situations.”
The first round of funding saw Footscray Hospital and Sunshine Hospital receive high-performance protective vests to enhance the safety of security officers.
In Melbourne’s east, additional funding bought 90 state-of-the-art ‘3G Safety Watch’ devices for mental health teams who work out in the community, allowing staff managing a crisis to quickly notify emergency services via ‘000’ of their exact GPS location, using a 24-hour security monitoring centre.
The government is also funding a new public awareness campaign to reduce violence in Victorian hospitals as part of its plan to stop attacks against frontline health and mental health workers.
“We have zero tolerance for violence and aggression against our mental health workers — they care for Victorians at their most vulnerable and they deserve our respect,” said Minister for Mental Health Martin Foley.
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