Understaffing at Launceston General Hospital jeopardises worker safety

The staff we have spoken with say they have had a gutful of feeling unsafe in their workplace.

The recent attacks on staff members highlight how inadequate staffing numbers compromise the safety of healthcare workers and patients. The most recent incident involved a nurse being injured by a dementia patient with a butterfly needle.

This unnerving event follows closely on the heels of another attack just a week before, where a Deviot man assaulted a police officer and two hospital staff members with scissors, resulting in minor injuries. These assaults are not isolated incidents, and they show in stark reality the vulnerability of frontline workers at the LGH.

The root cause of these assaults can be traced back to the chronic understaffing plaguing hospital emergency departments (EDs) and wards. According to Health and Community Services Union Secretary Robbie Moore, recent attacks occurred during periods of shortage of rostered support officers.

These support officers play a crucial role in managing high-risk patients, those who have a mental illness, including dementia. According to staff, Mr Moore's advocacy for enhanced security measures has not resulted in politicians or the health department acknowledging the urgent need to prioritise the safety of hospital workers and patients by employing extra staff.

The Tasmanian government claims it has made strides in this area, but workers dispute those claims. Hospital workers say the government's failure to address staffing shortages continues to exacerbate the risks faced by healthcare workers. The Department of Health's decision to commission an independent review of safety and security in public hospital EDs in May 2023 was a step in the right direction. However, tangible actions to implement the review's recommendations are essential to ensure real improvements in staff safety.

The recent charges against the Deviot man involved in the LGH incident serve as a stark reminder of the repercussions of assaulting healthcare workers. Hospital staff are there for us on our worst days, so you should not expect to get much sympathy from police if you are of sound mind and attack a health worker. While immediate measures are necessary to address the security shortcomings contributing to these assaults, long-term solutions must involve adequate staffing and resources to safeguard staff and patients.

As investigations into these incidents unfold, the Tasmanian Government should make it a top priority to action the calls for strengthened security measures and allocate ample resources to address staffing shortages. The safety and well-being of healthcare workers should be non-negotiable priorities for the department and the government. The time for talk is over. Now is the time for a rock-solid commitment to creating a secure environment for all within Tasmanian hospitals.

Craig Thomson is the editor of The Examiner.