One patient dead after alleged gas sabotage; NSW Police arrest woman
Speaking on Wednesday, Prime Minister Chris Minns said he was “clearly concerned” by the death and promised the incident would be “fully investigated”.
“We want to make sure [patient’s] “Our family needs to have as much information as we do and we need to convey this to them as soon as possible.”
Minns said a “full security audit” would determine how the suspect gained access to the gas network, suggesting that “it may be the case that no one could be that callous or that cruel.”
“We know we have to protect this critical infrastructure, and I want to reassure patients and families at NSW Health, as well as employees who rely on this infrastructure to work, that we will do everything we can to keep them safe, even in the face of someone allegedly committing despicable conduct.”
The park said in a statement Tuesday that the alleged vandalism had “no impact” on patient care and that all services were “quickly restored” following the action.
Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes said hospital security guards represented by the union had seen an increase in violence and complex mental health conditions, particularly in emergency departments.
“Security officers have very little authority…not only are they concerned with patient and staff safety, but they also have to monitor the grounds,” Hayes said. “You can’t really look after the land when you’re having a hard time looking after the hospital.”
A spokesperson for Ramsay Healthcare confirmed that the alleged tampering with mains water and non-medical gas supply at Kareena Private Hospital had no impact on patients.
“All services were quickly restored with minimal disruption and without impacting patient care,” he said.
Health authorities are expected to review the incident to determine measures that could prevent a similar incident from happening again.
The alleged vandalism is being investigated as a mental health incident.
