Nepean Hospital Mental Health Unit

Mrs JILLIAN SKINNER: My question is directed to the Minister for Health. Why has the Minister failed to address serious health and safety issues raised by staff at Nepean Hospital's mental health unit in a letter to WorkCover sent more than one month ago that details physical assaults, death threats, illegal drug use, alarms that do not work and no security officers?

Ms REBA MEAGHER: The document to which the Deputy Leader of the Opposition refers was, as she said, directed to WorkCover, and I am not privy to the letter's contents. The Government does not tolerate violence against staff, or indeed patients, in any of its hospitals. Recently we have seen reports of concerns about culture in our hospitals, and both the Premier and I have said that we take a zero-tolerance approach to violence in hospitals. It will not be tolerated. That is why health service staff have access to violence prevention training programs and are encouraged to report to police any instances of violence against them or against patients. I am advised that NSW Health is preparing to conduct a comprehensive review of its current zero-tolerance policy, including an audit of 25 health facilities across the State.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting.

Ms REBA MEAGHER: In July 2001 initial one-off funding of $9 million was provided by the New South Wales Health Violence Task Force to support the implementation of a zero-tolerance approach to violence in our hospitals. Since then the Government has committed $5 million in recurrent funding to increase security personnel through the creation of an additional 350 positions across the State.