Middlemore Hospital nurses told to ‘walk in groups’ after young midwife attacked on way to car after late shift

A student midwife is being supported at work after she was assaulted when walking to her car after her evening shift.

The young woman had just finished a shift at Middlemore Hospital and was at the car park by the train station on Hospital Rd at the time of the attack.

Andrew Slater from Te Whata Ora said the organisation was “upset and dismayed that this has happened to one of our staff.

“No one should have to experience this type of incident going to or from work,” he said.

“It happened while our staff member, a midwifery student, was walking near the Middlemore train station at the end of their shift late on Monday night.”

Slater said the young woman wasn’t injured during the assault and was “doing as well as possible in the circumstances.

“We’re providing her with the support she needs.”

An email had been sent to Middlemore Hospital staff advising them to “walk in groups” and park in well-lit areas. The email also said staff could call security for an escort if they felt unsafe.

The suggestion has been slammed by the president of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation who said Te Whata Ora had failed to provide a safe work environment for staff.

NZNO president Anne Daniels called on the Government and Te Whata Ora to work together and provide safe parking for medical staff on shift work.

“It is unacceptable for Te Whata Ora to put the onus on nurses and healthcare workers for their own safety by suggesting they walk in groups or call a security guard,” Daniels said.

“They need to provide safe car parking at the hospital that is well-lit so this doesn’t happen.”

Daniels asked “if it would take a worker dying from a serious assault” before proper action was taken.

“Talking about it is not enough, there needs to be proper action so nurses and healthcare workers are safe.”

Daniels said Te Whata Ora had promised to improve security but didn’t have a plan to employ more security staff.

“They also say they are going to install cameras but a camera isn’t going to stop an assault from happening.

“Security guards are actually needed in the hospital to deal with assaults happening there - not walking people to cars.”

Daniels said the number of assaults associated with hospitals was grossly underestimated because the reporting system was “time-consuming and cumbersome.

“Staff are tired because they are understaffed and time-poor so at the end of a shift they just want to go home - so many physical and verbal assaults go unreported for that reason.”

Police said they received a report on Tuesday, August 15 of an assault that occurred in a car park on Hospital Rd on Monday evening, August 14. There were no injuries reported.

Police are in the early stages of making initial inquiries, and no arrests have been made.