Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) (11:56:50) — (14 040) My consistency question is to the Minister for Health. What information can the minister provide on how frontline health workers in the Yuroke electorate will benefit from the Andrews Labor government’s Health Service Violence Prevention Fund? In my community we are fortunate to have a number of outstanding health workers. Whether it is the paramedics at the Craigieburn ambulance station, our community emergency response team volunteer first responders or the staff at public health clinics, they all work tirelessly to care for local residents. Unfortunately too often these hardworking professionals are subject to physical or verbal attacks. That is why I am pleased that the government has introduced a $40 billion fund to protect the safety of healthcare workers. I look forward to receiving information from the minister about the local benefits of this fund, and I thank her for the work she has done in this space.

Response:

The Health Service Violence Prevention Fund provides $40 million over four years for high priority minor capital works or equipment that prevents and controls occupational violence hazards and risks to health service staff in their workplace.

Northern Hospital and Bundoora Extended Care as part of the Northern Health portfolio were allocated $485,999 under the fund in 2016-17 and 2017-18 for items such as: duress alarms for safe home visiting services, refurbishments to an Emergency Department resuscitation cubicle including security upgrades, and the installation of automatic doors and swipe card access to vulnerable patient areas.

In addition Northern Health was allocated $350,000 under separate funding for establishment of a Behavioural Assessment Room in the Emergency Department at Northern Hospital.

Broadmeadows Hospital and Northern Hospital, along with other hospitals, shared in $196,617 allocated to NorthWestern Mental Health (managed by Melbourne Health) for specialised furniture for acute psychiatry inpatient units.

As part of NorthWestern Mental Health Broadmeadows Hospital was also allocated $40,000 under the Safewards program for the Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Unit and Aged Inpatient Unit.

I thank the Member for her advocacy and care for the health, wellbeing and safety of health services staff serving her constituents.

Hon Jill Hennessy MP
Minister for Health