A nurse was left with a serious leg injury after a patient allegedly attacked several staff and a member of the public at Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital on Saturday night. Police said a 51-year-old man also assaulted an officer who approached him before officers used a Taser to subdue and arrest him; he was later moved to a secure unit within the hospital. The incident has prompted renewed calls from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association for stronger emergency-department safety.

What happened

Police were called to Prince of Wales Hospital on Saturday evening after a patient allegedly attacked several hospital staff and a member of the public. Authorities have identified the patient as a 51-year-old man. During the incident he is accused of seriously injuring a nurse’s leg, striking two other nurses and a security guard, and assaulting a 26-year-old woman who intervened to protect another patient.

Police said he also assaulted an officer who approached him. Officers used a Taser to subdue him and placed him under arrest. He was later transferred to a secure unit within the hospital for further management. The seriously injured nurse was admitted to the same hospital for ongoing treatment; the officer, other staff and the member of the public received treatment at the scene and did not need further hospital care.

Immediate response and safety concerns

The New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association said the attack highlighted the need for better security and safety in emergency departments. Michael Whaites, general secretary of the association, said nurses go to work to care for sick and vulnerable people and that government and employers must do more to ensure staff safety. He said rising patient acuity and volumes of unwell patients had coincided with escalating rates of violence and aggression in hospitals.

  • Association officials said they would work with those impacted by the incident, with hospital management and with SafeWork NSW to identify where improvements were needed.
  • The union cited a recent internal report finding 88% of respondents had experienced violence in the previous year.

Background: a pattern of incidents

The Prince of Wales episode comes amid several violent incidents at New South Wales hospitals over the past year. In June 2024, a 39-year-old patient allegedly slashed at staff at Westmead Hospital in western Sydney, injuring multiple security guards and a nurse.

In early April this year, a woman was arrested after she allegedly entered a ward at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and attacked a patient with a hammer, leaving the patient with severe head injuries.

Some hospitals in New South Wales have already taken steps to try to curb assaults on staff by establishing dedicated mental health units within emergency departments. Those units aim to isolate and manage patients presenting primarily with mental health crises, rather than treating them in the general ED waiting area.

Operational and economic implications for hospitals

Violent incidents of this kind have direct operational consequences for hospitals:

  • Staff injuries reduce available workforce at a time when many emergency departments are under pressure from higher patient acuity and demand.
  • Injured or traumatised staff may need time off, training or counselling, adding to short-term staffing and payroll costs.
  • Increasing security measures—such as extra security personnel, secure mental health units, doors and barriers, or staff safety training—carries additional capital and operating costs that compete with other budget priorities.

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Police said the man was Tasered before being arrested and was moved to a secure facility within Prince of Wales Hospital. The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association said it will work with those affected, hospital management and SafeWork NSW to identify where improvements are needed.

This article was created with AI assistance.