Baby beating forces fortress approach at hospital

New security measures have been introduced to a hospital children's ward to keep out violent parents after a baby was attacked in the ward.

Double doors on the ward at Whangarei Hospital can be locked at any time. A security camera films the entrance and people entering the ward after hours have to identify themselves.

The moves come after Northland father Logan Herewini was last week jailed for five years for several violent attacks on his six-week-old baby, which continued after she was taken to Whangarei Hospital with a suspicious broken leg on April 30, 2004.

Herewini, 20, of Kaitaia, assaulted the girl as she lay in traction on a bed in the hospital. He was arrested after police were alerted by hospital staff who had become concerned about the appearance of bruising on the girl's face.

Last month he pleaded guilty to wounding his daughter with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two charges of injuring her with intent to injure.

The incident has led to new measures which could change how hospitals operate throughout the country.

Few incidents on the ward had caused as much shock and stress for staff as this case, Whangarei Hospital pediatrician Roger Tuck said.

"We don't ever want that situation to ever happen to us again ... It would be easier to steal the gold bullion from Fort Knox than get in," Dr Tuck said.

The hospital has rewritten its child protection policy in light of the incident.

Now, if there was any serious doubt about the safety of a child in the ward, the child and its family would be under constant video surveillance and a nurse would watch the child around the clock.

"If it seems a little draconian, well, tough. We're giving the child the benefit of the doubt," Dr Tuck said. "The people who harm children are often the people you least suspect -- the people closest to the child."

Dr Tuck said the situation arose because the police and Child Youth and Family (CYF) had not informed the hospital about who could have been responsible for the child's injuries.

CYF had now appointed a liaison social worker for the children's ward and hospital staff had monthly meetings with CYF's regional manager.

The Ministry of Health has approached all district health boards, suggesting they also review their procedures in light of Whangarei Hospital's security upgrade.

Whangarei police Detective Constable Dave Hamilton, who oversaw the case, said child was now "thriving".

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)