E tū says a fourth assault on a hospital security guard has raised the alarm over health and safety for security guards at the Waikato and Canterbury DHBs. Both contract out security services to a private company, Allied Security. The latest assault – the fourth serious assault this year – involved a security guard attacked in the Emergency Department at Christchurch Hospital on Queen’s Birthday. The assault occurred just weeks after an earlier very serious attack on a security guard member at Waikato Hospital – where Allied is also the security provider. Another two guards remain off work after serious assaults at Hillmorton and Christchurch Hospitals. Christchurch Senior organiser Ian Hodgetts says the string of assaults since Christmas is alarming.
