Dangerous drug blamed for attacks on hospital staff
FIRST ON 7: Some of Sydney's top emergency room doctors have joined forces, calling for better security in their hospitals.
They say violent attacks on staff are on the rise, and in part two of our special health report, they say one illegal drug is mostly to blame.
"These people are often brought in the back of a paddywagon, screaming, beating the walls of the police vehicle," Dr Sally McCarthy from the Prince of Wales Hospital said.
"We've had people in our department throw cardiac monitors, throw equipment around [and] destroy parts of our department, or try to assault staff."
Dr McCarthy also said that patients sometimes carry concealed weapons, which can be difficult as health staff 'are not police officers'.
The risk is so great that St Vincent's Hospital now uses metal detectors on patients.
"That could be a needle in a drug addicts pocket, to a knife, to anything else," Dr Gordian Fulde said.
But some hospitals do not even have full-time guards.
A major cause of the violence is crystal methamphetamine, or "ice".
Dr Fulde said that "crystal meth" is one of the 'most evil' and 'horrible' drugs he has seen.
"[It's] incredibly concealable, incredibly powerful [and] incredibly addictive."
Despite the danger, these doctors oppose a Victorian proposal for armed guards in hospitals.
They said that guns have no place in hospitals, or any other place in society for that matter.
"We're here to help our fellow human being no matter who or what they are," Dr Fulde said.
