Ex-cop to lead hospital review after doctor stabbing

·1-min read

A former police commander will lead a review into safety measures at hospital emergency departments in Tasmania after the stabbing of a doctor.

A 17-year-old boy is facing charges of wounding, two counts of assault and threatening police after the doctor was stabbed at the North West Regional Hospital on April 9.

The state health department has announced the review will be headed by security specialist and former Tasmania Police commander Geoff Smith.

The doctor, initially in a critical condition, is now "recovering well", Attorney-General Elise Archer told state parliament on Tuesday.

The review will examine security measures at hospital emergency departments and identify where improvements can be made.

It will interrogate security officer models and resources, staff induction processes, security training, and consider whether duress alarms and protective clothing are required.

Recommendations from the review, expected to be finished by October, will be implemented in emergency departments across the state.

The health department said a 10-point plan to safeguard hospital workers in Victoria would be adapted for Tasmania and implemented as a priority.

"The safety of staff and patients is of the utmost importance," deputy secretary for hospitals and primary care Dale Webster said.

"We are committed to creating a safe and secure environment for all who come through the doors of our hospitals."