In order to provide the best possible care to our patients, Western Health must support staff to do their best work. This means ensuring that their workplaces – our hospitals – are safe and free of physical or verbal abuse. This includes staff being exposed to aggressive behavior, threats, intimidation and physical attacks to staff or property. Threatening, obscene, racist, sexist or demeaning language, or name calling are not acceptable.
Our expectations of visitors
At Western Health, we treat everyone – our patients, visitors and our colleagues – with dignity and respect. We aim to work in partnership with the loved ones of patients, which means communicating regularly to inform them about the patient's treatment.
We acknowledge that seeing a loved one ill or injured is difficult and distressing; however, we expect visitors to ensure their actions do not threaten or harm our staff. This means we will act upon all incidents of violence and aggression.
Consequences of violence or aggressive behaviour
Western Health may ask you to sign and agree to a behavioural contract in order for your visits to be able to continue. If you refuse to comply with its conditions, Western Health may deny access to the hospital.
In some instances, Western Health may issue a 'Not Welcome Notice' to visitors who have demonstrated violence and aggression. A 'Not Welcome Notice' will exclude the person/s from any future entry into any of our Western Health sites.
Security will be called in any situation where staff feel threatened or unsafe. In serious circumstances, security will be asked to escort visitors off our premises and reports made to Victoria Police.
Aggressive and violent behaviour from visitors towards staff is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
We ask that you take this matter seriously and that you cooperate with our staff so that we can provide a safe environment for all.
Complaints or concerns
If you would like to make a complaint, you can contact a patient representative by phoning 1800 319 631.
