Family 'devastated' by death of surgeon killed in Melbourne hospital 'one-punch' assault
The family of a Melbourne surgeon who died after he was allegedly attacked outside a hospital say they are "devastated" by his death.
After four weeks in a coma Dr Patrick Pritzwalk-Stegmann's family decided to switch off his life support on Tuesday night.
"Our family is devastated by Patrick's passing," the family said in a statement.
"We are grateful for the compassion and support we have received from friends, colleagues and the broader community over recent weeks."
This comes as a Victorian priest who knew the surgeon has expressed anger and grief at the alarming rise in assaults on emergency workers following his death.
Father Kevin Dillon of St Mary's in Geelong is calling for harsher penalties for those who assault emergency personnel, calling the spike in violence "mindboggling and frustrating".
"Our first responders – people like medical personnel, police, fire fighters, are becoming less and less respected by some people in our society," Fr Dillon told 7 News Online.
"The sort of penalties should be greater," the priest said, because "ultimately it's protecting ourselves."
Fr Dillon was reacting to news that respected Melbourne cardiothoratic surgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann had succumbed to injuries from an alleged one-punch assault while he was leaving work last month.
The 41-year-old father of two young girls was allegedly struck in the head while on his way home from Box Hill Hospital after he allegedly asked some people not to smoke at the hospital entrance.
While saddened by Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann's death, Fr Dillon said it was "not unexpected given the severity of his injuries".
The Geelong priest did not know Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann personally, but he spoke highly of the surgeon after he worked on a very close friend and "probably has effectively saved his life".
But now "he and his wife are quite devastated," the priest said of the friend, a Vietnam veteran.
"I know how much its affected him and that would be the case of many patients," he added.
"What a waste it is," the priest said, "totally unnecessary."
Calls for greater protection for health workers
Last year there was one attack on a Victorian health worker every hour, with Health Minister Jill Hennessy saying there would be no tolerance for treating frontline staff "like punching bags".
In October the Tasmanian government introduced mandatory six-month jail sentences for assaults on health and emergency staff.
Fr Dillon said he was "frustrated" by those responsible for these attacks on emergency and health workers and the immeasurable knock-on effects of their actions.
He called for greater protections for our guardian angels like Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann and other frontline services after too many have walked off the job in the face of increasing violence.
"People would never have dreamt of doing that back in the day," he said.
"Now it's becoming commonplace."
Minister Hennessey said Dr Pritzwalk-Stegmann's death was "devastating news".
"For family, for friends, for all people who have been waiting with great hope in respect of the outcome," she told the media on Wednesday.
Ms Hennessey said the surgeon's death showed there is still more to do to protect the safety of healthcare workers and members of the public.
"It's just not acceptable for people who get out of bed to go and save lives to lose their own at the hands of violent behaviour," the minister said about the "fine father, husband and surgeon".
