ALBURY hospital chiefs have agreed to examine ways to bolster nurse and staff safety in its mental health unit after security camera monitoring was cut this week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The pledge came during a teleconference on Friday afternoon that involved executive managers of Albury Wodonga Health and officials of the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association.
Association organiser Matthew Doherty said hospital bosses had committed to having one-on-one nurse-patient staffing in Nolan House while measures were explored to aid safety.
"The reversal of the removal of the CCTV is not going to occur, so we're not going to get that back, which is why we've got the staffing increase and we need to look at alternative technologies," Mr Doherty said.
They may include motion sensing of patients' movements, which is used at other clinics, and an improved duress alarm system.
"There are duress alarms but there are issues with them, they're often flat and it's an old system that needs upgrading," Mr Doherty said.
The union organiser said in addition to staffing changes, hospital managers had agreed to consultation and a health and safety report would be done before a meeting between nurses and administrators.
"It's actually a really good outcome for both parties," Mr Doherty said.
"Ultimately it's a good outcome for staff and patients."
"The bottom line is we've got to think about people's dignity as well as safety," Mr Ford said.
In a guideline published last year, Dr Coventry outlined the approach in relation to security cameras that he expected to be taken in Victorian-administered mental health units such as Nolan House.
He stated that CCTV must not "reduce the therapeutic interaction between staff and patients" or "be used as an alternative to direct and active clinical observation by staff as they may have a negative impact on therapeutic rapport and infringe on a patient's right to privacy".
Victoria's top psychiatrist oversees Nolan House as Albury Wodonga Health services are subject to administrative controls drawn up in Melbourne as part of cross border health agreements.
- Receive our daily newsletter straight to your inbox each morning from The Border Mail. Sign up here