NSW to recruit 130 security guards for 27 hospitals after violent incidents

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park announced that 130 full-time security guards will be recruited across 27 hospitals in the state to address rising violence.

The decision follows a series of violent incidents in hospitals, including an event where a security guard was injured trying to stop a violent patient, according to the Glen Innes Examiner.

Minister Park highlighted that larger hospitals with higher patient volumes tend to be hotspots for such incidents, which are influenced by drug use and mental health issues reflecting broader community challenges.

Security guard Bruce Rowling, working at Royal North Shore Hospital, welcomed the additional staff, noting that current teams are stretched thin covering hundreds of beds and visitors, and emphasized the need for proper training.

Recent incidents include a clinical staffer at Concord Hospital suffering a broken wrist during a patient altercation and a petrol attack at Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick, underscoring the risks faced by healthcare workers.

Minister Park stressed that healthcare workers should not be subjected to violence and that the increased security presence aims to reduce, though not eliminate, such risks.