Woman Seriously Injured in Alleged Attack at Princess Alexandra Hospital Emergency Department

A 73-year-old woman suffered serious facial injuries in a random attack by a 43-year-old man at Princess Alexandra Hospital's emergency department in Woolloongabba on August 23.

The alleged assault occurred shortly before 11:30pm, with the woman allegedly punched in the face "a number of times in an unprovoked attack". Medical staff intervened, and the man was arrested by responding police.

Charges and Court Appearance

The 43-year-old man has been charged with one count of grievous bodily harm and was remanded in custody. He is due to reappear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court later this month.

Hospital Response and Safety Measures

A hospital spokesperson stated that support was provided to the person impacted and the staff who witnessed the incident. The spokesperson emphasized that "the safety of our staff, patients and visitors is our number one priority, and we have zero tolerance for violence and aggressive behaviour in our hospital".

Metro South Health, which runs the Princess Alexandra Hospital, has taken "significant action" to address occupational violence. This includes employing security officers available 24/7, investing over $37 million in additional security measures such as CCTV, body-worn cameras, duress alarms, peer support programs, hospital ambassadors, and de-escalation training for staff.

Government and Medical Community Response

Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls acknowledged that the incident was "not good enough" and mentioned that the government has added 212 security officers throughout the state. He also noted that "additional security ambassadors were funded in last year's budget to the tune of $8.5 million to de-escalate issues in emergency departments before they get to the physical violence stage".

Dr. Peter Allely, president of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, stated that violence in emergency departments is "hugely common" and "hugely under-reported". He attributed the increase in violence and aggression to overcrowding in healthcare systems, saying "the degree of overcrowding that our healthcare system faces" is the "number one overwhelming driver".

Dr. Allely emphasized that violence is "not excusable" but is exacerbated by conditions in emergency units, including overcrowding and limited facilities. He called for a "razor-sharp focus on overcrowding" to address the issue.

Sarah Beaman, secretary of the Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union, echoed the call for action, stating that the problem of violence and aggression in hospitals is "at crisis point". She noted that 82% of respondents in the union's survey reported experiencing occupational violence within the last 12 months and called for more state government investment in de-escalation security programs and better reporting systems.