WorkSafe has charged Latrobe Regional Health with failing to provide a safe workplace after a nurse was seriously injured by a patient with a history of violence in November 2024.
The healthcare service faces three s.21 charges, following WorkSafe’s investigation into the incident.
WorkSafe alleges that Latrobe Regional Health failed to maintain a system for recording histories of violence or aggression on patients' medical records, and implement risk management strategies based on those records, as well as failing to ensure workers had mobile or personal duress alarms and knew where the hospital's fixed duress alarms were located.
Occupational violence and aggression (OVA) in the healthcare sector is an increasing problem. Staff in hospitals and other healthcare settings regularly deal with the impact of violent and aggressive people, often with little support or protections provided by their employers.
Regardless of your industry, after every incident of OVA you should report it to your employer, speak with your HSR and notify your union.
WorkSafe publishes many guides and tools for employers to prevent and manage violence and aggression in healthcare settings, including:
- Information for employers: Prevention and management of violence and aggression in health services
- WorkWell Toolkit: Violence and aggression
- Occupational violence and aggression (OVA) incident investigation tool
- Occupational violences and aggression: Case studies – see how different organisations have worked to reduce violence and aggression towards their healthcare workers
- Aggression or violence
Read more: Health provider charged after patient assaults nurse | WorkSafe Victoria