New figures obtained by RNZ reveal a sharp rise in assaults on hospital workers, with a 30 percent increase in just two years. In the 12 months to June, 7,777 assaults were reported against Health NZ staff, up from 6,635 the previous year and 6,001 in 2023.
Nurses and doctors warn the real number could be higher, as many incidents go unreported.
Waikato Hospital emergency nurse and NZ Nurses Organisation delegate Tracy Chisholm said reporting was often impractical in a high-pressure environment.
“I get sworn at and abused every week,” she said, adding that assaults had become “an accepted part of our workplace.”
Waikato Hospital alone recorded more than 340 assaults in the past year, up from around 260 two years earlier.
Health NZ has boosted hospital security with NZ$31 million in additional funding, 44 new security officers at larger hospitals, and 20,000 hours of violence-reduction training for staff. Despite this, frontline workers say the root issue lies in long waiting times and under-resourcing.
Union leaders and patient advocates warn that unless staffing and safe facilities improve, risks will escalate.
“I just hope we don’t see the day where a hospital worker suffers severe injury or death,” said Patient Voice Aotearoa’s Malcolm Mulholland.
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