Hospital concerned over substance-related assaults
Posted
The Ballarat Hospital says drug and alcohol problems within the community have led to dozens of its staff being assaulted.
At the weekend at 17-year-old boy suffering from a drug overdose had to be subdued by 10 staff members in the hospital's emergency department.
The director of nursing services, Geraldine Webster, says so far this year, there have been 71 cases of violence against staff.
She says some matters have led to criminal charges being laid against patients or their relatives.
"Drug and alcohol would be one of the major causes and sometimes disputes between spouses and relationships is another," she said.
"We take it very, seriously, we have a policy here of zero tolerance and that criminal charges would be laid against unruly behaviour."
