Last week, Albury Wodonga Health issued a statement saying it had "ceased monitoring people via CCTV in the Nolan House high dependency unit."

The president of Albury and District Regional Law Society, Allison Bruce, said legal practitioners, who meet clients in the general ward or meeting rooms, would not be able to meet with patients unless security personnel were present or the changes reversed.

"Members of the local legal profession appreciate that the patients at Nolan House have a right to privacy, but this needs to be balanced with ensuring the safety of staff, families, legal practitioners and other people who work at or visit Nolan House," she said.

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AWH was contacted and asked to clarify details around the CCTV changes and to respond to concerns expressed by the Nurses and Midwives Union, the Health Services Union and Albury and District Regional Law Society about the changes, but did not comment.

Duty solicitor Sascha McCorriston is one of four Legal Aid lawyers who represent Nolan House patients at Mental Health Tribunals.

She said neither Legal Aid nor solicitors themselves were told of any changes to CCTV in Nolan House.

"My first instinct was I'm not doing this work anymore, because my safety is more important than privacy in my view," Miss McCorriston said.

While most patients in need of mental health care were not violent, Miss McCorriston said Legal Aid solicitors meet with clients who are being involuntarily held one-on-one.

She said she has experienced clients becoming frustrated, pushing objects and yelling abuse if the Tribunal decided they had to remain in treatment.

She has not experienced any physical violence.

Miss McCorriston said without being able to monitor CCTV, she was concerned staff would not be able to ensure the safety of patients, visitors or colleagues.

"If they've removed the monitor - the monitor is the most important thing because that is monitoring behaviour," she said.

"It's opening a can of worms, it's opening up the possibility of staff members at the hospital being physically assaulted.

"It's opening a can of worms because if that happens then there is potential for legal action against the hospital for not taking a proper duty of care."

Last week, after meeting with NMU, AWH agreed to one-on-one nurse-patient staffing while additional measures were explored.