September 20, 2024
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington says it is essential a security service implemented at Kingaroy Hospital since a shooting in mid-August is made permanent.
Mrs Frecklington said it had been confirmed in an answer to her Question on Notice (see below) to Health Minister Shannon Fentiman that there is now 24/7 security at the hospital.
However, it was not confirmed whether this service would continue.
“I have been calling for permanent security for the Emergency Department for several years on behalf of the hospital staff and patients,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“While I am pleased security is now working 24/7 at the hospital, it is disappointing that it took such a frightening and serious incident for the need to finally be addressed.
“The safety of our hardworking hospital staff and the patients must be a priority and we need to know that this service will continue on a full-time basis.”
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QUESTION ON NOTICE
With reference to Kingaroy Hospital: Will the Minister advise
(a) The number of Code Black emergency codes issued from 2019 until current (reported separately by year),
(b) If there is permanent security within the Emergency Department, and
(c) The security arrangements for the whole of the Hospital?
ANSWER
The Miles Government has invested almost $38 million over four years in occupational violence prevention and security measures as part of a record $28.9 billion health budget in 2024-25.
This includes hiring an additional 70 security officers and 12 ambassadors, providing more CCTV and fixed and personal duress alarms in high-risk areas, and ensuring all security staff have body-worn cameras. In addition, Queensland Health will continue to expand the successful ambassador program and roll out enhanced training for security and ambassador staff.
Key initiatives will also be introduced to make it easier for frontline healthcare workers to flag occupational violence incidents and personal threats via a streamlined escalation pathway, including the standardised reporting of Code Black incidents.
Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service will also benefit from the development of a new statewide standard to ensure a consistent and appropriate level of personal protective equipment, for security officers to keep staff, themselves, patients and their families safe.
(a) The number of Code Black emergency codes issued from 2019 until current (reported separately by year)
I am advised that information related to Code Blacks is not collected centrally by the Department of Health. I am further advised that the recording and reporting of Code Blacks may vary within individual Hospital and Health Service facilities, eg. a process for a larger facility with security personnel will be different to a smaller rural facility.
(b) If there is permanent security within the Emergency Department
Kingaroy Hospital has an ongoing 24/7 whole of hospital security presence on site. In addition, the Kingaroy Hospital has an Ambassador stationed in the hospital’s Emergency Department to proactively maintain a safe and secure environment for everyone at the facility.
(c) The security arrangements for the whole of the hospital
There is an ongoing 24/7 whole of hospital security presence on site to ensure the safety of staff and patients. In the event of a Code Black, Kingaroy Hospital has emergency response and lockdown protocols with escalation pathways to the Queensland Police Service for a tertiary level emergency response.
Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service continually assesses how it can have an increased presence of Security Officers and Ambassadors on the ground and remains involved in statewide consultation with the Department of Health regarding potential opportunities to support security resourcing.
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