Hospital beefs up security after thefts

Waikato Hospital has employed a security manager after a string of thefts and threats to staff.

The appointment was made after a police report commissioned by the Waikato District Health Board recorded 150 incidents on its Hamilton campus over an 18 month period.

Waikato District Health Board sought help from the police following a number of security issues at the hospital this year.

They included the theft of patients' food, staff belongings, and equipment, and the assault of an emergency department doctor.

Three teenagers also had hospital trespass notices slapped on them for intimidating staff and patients while visiting a friend.

Waikato DHB chief executive Craig Climo said the police review highlighted a number of security issues for hospital management.

Appointing a security manager was the most important recommendation.

Interviews took place last week and an appointment made.

Mr Climo said the security manager would drive the review's other recommendations, one of which also included the appointment of a police liaison officer to work with the security manager.

Waikato police district commander Allan Boreham said the security challenges of such a large campus provided a unique opportunity for police and Waikato DHB to form a partnership to improve community safety.

"This relationship will benefit both organisations and a proactive partnership will engender strong community reassurance, confidence and trust for the public and staff within the hospital."

Mr Boreham said the open manner in which hospital staff made themselves available to the review team laid the foundations for a successful partnership between the two organisations.

Mr Climo said clinicians sometime tended to feel that reporting matters to police would detract from a patient's treatment.

"We need a culture change to say that good duty of care also includes good proactive security.

"The duty of care is not only for the person getting treatment but also for other patients and staff.

"People who breach security while being treated or visited should be dealt with in an appropriate and consistent manner reinforcing the message that we will not tolerate these types of actions."

- NZPA