KEY POINTS:
Health board officials are investigating a second alleged assault involving staff members at Palmerston North Hospital.
The incident, which took place on Thursday, came just four days after an overseas-trained doctor allegedly stabbed a 31-year-old registrar at a team meeting.
The incident involved a nurse and orderly in one of the hospital departments.
The incidents are not related, the hospital's Surgical Services group manager Brett Sheehan said yesterday.
"The MidCentral District Health Board is currently investigating this alleged incident and therefore we cannot comment further until MDHB has completed its investigation," he said.
The 48-year-old doctor involved in the earlier incident was granted interim name suppression and released on bail when he appeared in the Palmerston North District Court last week on a charge of wounding with intent to injure.
He has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric assessment.
MidCentral District Health Board acting chief executive Mike Grant said such violent incidents were not common in the hospital.
"We work in a busy environment with over 3000 staff so things are going to happen from time to time," he said.
Mr Grant said the outcome of the internal investigation into Thursday's incident would be available today.
A New Zealand Nurses Organisation spokeswoman did not want to comment on the incident.
"Anyone that's a member of NZNO gets NZNO support if and when they ask for it," she said.
