Tamworth hospital workers will stop work for one hour today to discuss their rising concerns over safety following another violent incident at the hospital over the weekend.
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Health Services Union (HSU) NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said Sunday's incident at the Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital (TRRH) occurred after police transferred a man who was being managed on a 'section 33' mental health order from the courts.
"One security officer was punched in the jaw, another officer was spat on, one nurse was punched in the head and another nurse was grabbed," Mr Hayes said.
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"We understand that the alleged perpetrator has a history of violence, but security staff were not notified of his presence at the hospital until after the assaults started taking place.
"It is clear that Hunter New England Local Health District and Healthshare must immediately increase security staffing levels at TRRH."
Mr Hayes said Hunter New England LHD management and Healthshare had been blaming each other for the failure to employ more security staff, while delaying a response until the final recommendations from Peter Anderson's report into hospital security are released.
"The hospital security blame game needs to end," he said.
"The Hunter New England LHD must allocate funding for more security, and Healthshare must get on with the jobs of ensuring hospital patents and workers are kept safe.
"How many more people must be injured before authorities take action?"
HSU members at Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital will stop work for an hour-long meeting at midday today.
