Browse > Home / News / Hospital boosts paediatric security

Hospital boosts paediatric security

Posted on April 24, 2009, 10:10am

Security arrangements have been put in place to protect babies and children from potential intruders at Mount Gambier Hospital’s paediatric ward.

The arrangements were implemented in all public hospital paediatric wards across the state following a recent damning report by the Northern Territory Health Services Commissioner on the sexual assault of a five-month-old girl in the Royal Darwin Hospital in 2006.

The commissioner strongly criticised the Royal Darwin Hospital’s lack of security arrangements and the South Australian Government subsequently took action to protect children by requesting public hospital executives statewide review security in paediatric wards.

“As a result of the review (of security arrangements) I can assure the community that all children admitted to paediatric wards in any hospital within country South Australia are provided with a safe and secure environment,” Country Health SA chief executive George Beltchev said in a statement to The Border Watch.

“In cases when a parent or guardian is not staying with their child, children under the age of 16 are given constant supervision while inpatients in South Australian hospitals, and no child or infant can be roomed with an adult.”

An SA Health spokesperson declined to reveal details on how the security arrangements at the Mount Gambier Hospital worked, explaining it could defeat the purpose.

“All I can say is that extra staff will be on duty to supervise when parents are not with their children,” the spokesperson said.

“The new arrangements will not affect parents’ and visitors’ access.“
Mount Gambier parents welcomed the new arrangements at the hospital.

A mother who did not want her name published said she felt her baby was safe after she gave birth earlier this week.

“One of my visitors mentioned that someone was posted by the door, but it was nothing intrusive,” the mother said.

“Anything that is going to keep our children safe, is welcome.”

Sharmaine Fogerty said although she felt safe, she also welcomed the new security arrangements.

“I did not really notice anything — the security arrangements are not really noticeable and non-intrusive,” she said.

Tags: , ,  

Comments

Comments are closed.