A man has allegedly slashed a nurse a number of times with two knives during an incident at Blacktown Hospital in Sydney. The attack has prompted a fresh call for specialist security forces in NSW hospitals. The man, a patient under the care of the nurse, allegedly began behaving erratically about 10pm on Monday night, walking into patients’ rooms and taking photos with his mobile phone. When the nurse, who was unaware he was armed, attempted to persuade him to return to his room, he allegedly attacked her with the knives, slashing her wrist and her clothing. She managed to escape the staffroom with the help of an elderly male patient, who closed the staffroom door and kept the man confined to the room until the arrival of security and police. Officers disarmed the 47-year-old man and arrested him. He remains at the hospital under police guard. The Health Services Union said the “sickening” attack highlights the need for specialist security guards.
