THE Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) is calling for a renewed commitment by all governments to keep rural and remote hospitals and clinics safe for all staff, following an attack on a senior doctor at Tasmania’s North West Regional Hospital over the Easter holiday weekend.
On behalf of ACRRM president Dr Dan Halliday, the group expressed concern at the events that occurred and passed on their sincere support and best wishes to the injured doctor, his family, and colleagues.
Dr Halliday said despite the terrible event, there was a silver lining in that hospital procedures and staff’s timely actions appear to have led to a quick and effective response.
He said the incident was a reminder of the importance of training, systems and resourcing that support health practitioner safety in healthcare settings, particularly those that are isolated or have minimal staffing.
“No health practitioner should fear for their personal safety in order to do their job,” Dr Halliday said.
“While these incidents can occur in any healthcare setting, rural health workers have distinct safety risks which need to be addressed through adequate staffing and resources, bespoke safety systems, and the right training.
“Their safety and wellbeing must be the primary priority of all hospital and healthcare facilities, no matter how big or small.
“There must be adequate security systems and infrastructure in place; protocols should be regularly reviewed; accommodation needs to be secure; and staff should not work on their own in situations that could be deemed unsafe.”
Dr Halliday added it was essential to manage physical safety, as well as practitioner wellbeing.
“Working in rural and remote clinical context often presents distinct challenges, which warrant dedicated attention and investment,” he said.
“ACRRM, through its courses and fellowship training program, highlights the importance for rural generalists and rural general practitioners to refer to, understand, and review hospital and practice safety plans while also maintaining their own health and wellbeing.
“We have also recently employed a wellbeing coordinator to support members, and staff, and we provide access to an employee assistance program.
“The government needs to do its best to support rural and remote GPs and RGs, and the multidisciplinary teams they work with to do their jobs, and ensure communities everywhere have access to high-quality healthcare.”
