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Guy’s hospital protection plan rejected in 2011 Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au PROTECTIVE Services Officers could be trialled at Frankston Hospital to tackle escalating violence in the state’s health care system, under a plan outlined by state opposition leader Matthew Guy. Guy said that if elected, a Liberal National state government would pay for a two-year trial at five hospitals to support the recruitment, training and deployment of 75 new PSOs to provide around-the-clock support from mobile stations. The Premier Daniel Andrews said there was no evidence Guy’s PSO trial would solve the problem and a 2011 parliamentary inquiry also recommended against deploying PSOs to hospitals. Guy said PSOs would be able to respond to calls for back-up and provide immediate support to hospital staff or police to assist with mental health patients or those influenced by drugs and alcohol. The trial announced by Guy would be implemented at Frankston, Dandenong, Box Hill, Sunshine and Royal Melbourne hospitals. Hastings resident and former hospital worker Fran Henke told The News that violence in hospitals – particularly emergency departments – was an ongoing problem. She said while working at
Frankston Hospital 20 years ago, an emergency department doctor had shown her a drawer full of weapons knives, iron bars, even shards of glass - confiscated from patients. “Staff and patients do need protection, not just from the drug and alcohol affected, also from those experiencing fear, grief and sheer frustration,” she said. Guy said the proposal would free up police resources by allowing them to return to normal operational duties. “We also know that our dedicated healthcare staff often walk lengthy distances to and from their cars at night and early hours of the morning, and sadly, so many have experienced verbal and physical abuse during these times and while carrying out their lifesaving work in wards,” he said. Guy said the safety of both staff and patients at hospitals was vitally
important. Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, said that as a former nurse and midwife, she had experienced and seen what can happen “and it is not okay”. The Premier Daniel Andrews said there was no evidence Guy’s PSO trial would solve the problem. A parliamentary 2011 parliamentary inquiry into violence and security arrangement at Victorian Hospitals found that appointing PSOs to hospitals would be “contrary to the good management of security in hospitals” and could be a greater safety risk. The committee investigating the issue noted that violence and aggression toward hospital staff was largely under reported and made a number of recommendations aimed at encouraging reporting and improving data collection. The committee recommended against using PSOs in hospitals, and in its executive summary noted that security strategies should be underpinned by a “patient focused” approach that draws on interpersonal skills to defuse, minimise and manage aggressive behaviour. Assistant secretary of the Victorian branch of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, Paul Gilbert, has told the media that the trial would only provide about 3.5 PSOs for each shift across five hospitals, and would not work as a health response.
Baked delights: Among the group of five who baked cakes to raise money for Rosebud hospital were Rocco Buchanan, 10, Emina Shaw, 8, and Stella Mathieson, 10. Picture: Supplied
Young bakers raise money for hospital
FIVE budding philanthropists, Emina, Stella, Rocco, Florence and Millie, tested their baking talents by holding a cake stall over the school holidays, raising $504 for Rosebud Hospital. The children chose Rosebud because they had all been there at some time and thought it was a wonderful hospital, Sunny Shaw, whose daughter Emina was one of the stallholders at the hospital, said. When it was suggested that they do something to give back to the community in the school holidays five entrepreneurial friends decided a cake stall was in order. Shaw said they investigated some popular recipes and went on to bake a range of cakes and slices. On the stall’s first day, each item was priced at $1 but, as the group’s
cooking skills improved, prices went up to $1.50 and profits soared. Patients, staff and visitor’s couldn’t get enough of the top sellers such as hedgehog and raspberry and white chocolate muffins. “The dynamic little team have all expressed how good they felt raising money and taking it in to the hospital,” Shaw said. “They loved making and baking, and Coles heard about it and gave them all the ingredients for free.” All five plan to run their cake stall in the next school holidays. A Peninsula Health spokesperson said the service was delighted with the generous donation, which would help pay for life-saving equipment for Rosebud Hospital. Liz Bell
Beach walker stubbles across mystery WHILE enjoying a walk at Mothers Beach, Mornington Jodie Richmond-Smith came across a strange object that has become something of a mystery. Piquing her interest, the odd-looking object resembled a skull or body part of a marine creature. “I’ve been walking the beach every day for years and I often find strange things on the sand,” Richmond-Smith said. “But this one has me and everyone else I’ve shown baffled, and even the Melbourne museum didn’t know what it was. “I’ve found all sorts of things, and this one is certainly a conversation starter.” Richmond-Smith said the museum had shown her photos of the object to its anatomists, but they admitted to being stumped. The museum told everyone had agreed it was a chunk of a much larger animal, but that the flesh was obscuring the bones, which would be
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the most useful diagnostic tool. While Richmond-Smith originally thought it might be the skull of a rare narluga whale, the museum ruled that out, as it did not have an teeth or sockets, and was unlikely to be a skull. The museum’s best guess was a pectoral girdle or a pelvis from a dolphin or large fish, but without genetic testing the object will remain a beach mystery. Liz Bell
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Our Lady students at Laarni YEAR two Primary School Day. of Fatima during Harmony and Guyan Picture: Supplied
YEAR two students at Our Lady of Fatima Primary School Laarni and Guyan during Harmony Day. Picture: Supplied
in colour Harmony around the
from schools in participated STUDENTS Peninsula Mornington at the end of March, Harmony Day in a range of activiof diversity getting involved to the theme ties linked parents and and inclusiveness. 25 March, On Friday Lady of Fatima PriOur held a crazy friends of in Rosebud of mary School where the rainbow run, of colour fun to the celebration colours added be used diversity. raised will The money for the school’s to buy resources which promotes a club, environment lunchtime and inclusive welcoming on the yard. for all children
Harmony in colour STUDENTS from schools around the Mornington Peninsula participated in Harmony Day at the end of March, getting involved in a range of activities linked to the theme of diversity and inclusiveness. On Friday 25 March, parents and friends of Our Lady of Fatima Primary School in Rosebud held a crazy colour fun run, where the rainbow of colours added to the celebration of diversity. The money raised will be used to buy resources for the school’s lunchtime club, which promotes a welcoming and inclusive environment for all children on the yard.
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for such a sensitive part of the bay.” The push for an artificial reef has largely been led by the government body the Victorian Fisheries Association, and the Futurefish Foundation, which describes itself online as “a fearless watchdog” representing recreational fishers, with an aim to “protect and enhance” recreational fishing throughout Victoria. One of its mandates is to increase the number of artificial reefs in all parts of Port Phillip. Continued Page 12
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Southern Peninsula News
12 October 2022
PAGE 15