The Health Services Union of WA (HSUWA) calls on the State Government to act urgently to better protect health workers after the release of the figures regarding physical violence and aggression from the Department of Health this week.
Sadly, these alarming figures of an average of 12 incidents a day in 2025 are not surprising for health workers and may just be the tip of the iceberg. Our members show up every day with professionalism and compassion, but they cannot do their jobs if they are not safe. HSUWA has long been advocating for better protections for the public health workforce, particularly through the development of consistent policy and protections for Security Officers working in public hospitals, real staffing increases and a stronger security presence across sites. Repeat perpetrators also need meaningful consequences for violent behaviour.
A 2025 HSUWA survey of WA public sector health workers revealed that 68% of respondents felt unsafe at work due to workplace aggression, and 52% had called Hospital Security for assistance in the past 12 months. The survey also highlighted a lack of staff training regarding the roles and responsibilities of Security Officers.
Security Officers are relied upon heavily by the workforce and by the State Government’s policy for ongoing health worker and patient safety. It is vital that this workforce is recognised as a specialist workforce and provided with the necessary protections to perform their roles safely. It is also important that clinical, clerical, technical, and operational staff receive consistent training across health service providers to reduce physical, psychological, and legal risks.
HSUWA calls on the State Government and WA Health to treat this as the emergency it is. No healthcare worker should fear going to work. Safety is not optional, and the HSUWA will continue its advocacy to protect health workers.
Comments from HSUWA Secretary Naomi McCrae:
“Violence and aggression against our health workers is unacceptable, and more needs to be done, urgently, to protect this dedicated workforce.”
“We call on the State Government to provide better and consistent protection for Security Officers working in healthcare, a workforce that is so heavily relied upon to keep people safe, but who still experience significant risk in performing their duties.”
“HSUWA members are calling for an increased investment in security staffing to strengthen the presence across public sites and more training for clerical and clinical staff to ensure they understand protocols around requests for security interventions.”
“The State Government needs to add to its touting of record spending on health and make genuine investment in health care and our health workforce that will prepare our state for the healthcare needs of the future. We hope to see a reflection of this in the May state budget.”
“Violence and aggression are wider societal issues that need to be addressed through investment in education, healthcare, mental healthcare and other social safety nets. Providing access to the health services members of the community need, through investment, is just one way of stemming one route cause of violence and aggression toward health workers.”
Health Services Union of WA are thousands of trusted and respected health workers who, together, make up the largest workforce in WA public health. You can read more about the HSUWA here.
