Members in Patient Transport were furious to learn of an incident involving a single officer who had their life threatened earlier this week in Mt Druitt.

This incident happened after dark when this PTO was working alone and shows just how close to harm PTOs can come. When the Health and Safety Representative presented this troubling incident to upper management, they were first informed that the incident had not been reported, then brushed off on a technicality.

This danger cannot be understated, as the murder of a single responder nurse in South Australia so tragically underlines. Management may propose that PTOs assess the patient and location, and refer to the handover notes, but this is not enough.

The solution to this is clear. At an emergency meeting PTO delegates met and voted to proceed with immediate bans due to safety concerns. This is to protect Patients and PTOs, by ensuring no one is caught out alone in a dangerous situation again.

BANS:

• No PTOs rostered as a single officer will take on any jobs after 1800 and before 0600. Singles must be on their way back to base by 1800.
• Single officers may complete inter-hospital and RACF to hospital transfers but MUST NOT go to residential addresses alone at ANY TIME.

The solution is simple, and union members know it better than most: safety in numbers. This incident was a wake-up call, and ADHSU members will not stand idly by waiting for a near miss to turn into something much worse.