Nurse says hospital parking fix needed after being chased to her car
Audrey McAllister was followed by a group of men after a shift. The nurses union says a lack of safe and affordable parking options is putting workers at risk.
A Royal Hobart Hospital nurse, Audrey McAllister, recounted her harrowing experience of being chased by a group of men to her car after work in Queens Domain. The incident occurred on a Monday night, just past 11pm, while she was walking the roughly one-kilometre route from the hospital. Ms McAllister called the police and managed to reach her car safely, but the ordeal left her shaken.
The nursing union, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Union (ANMF), has called for better parking solutions and increased safety measures for hospital staff. Ms McAllister, a delegate of the ANMF, expressed her dissatisfaction with the lack of dedicated parking for health workers in Hobart's CBD. The closest option, Argyle Street car park, closes at 10pm, while the Market Place car park, open 24/7, can be expensive.
The ANMF has made several requests to the Tasmanian government, including introducing a shuttle service, security escort post-night shifts, and a roof over the hospital's bike storage area to prevent theft. The government spokesperson emphasized that any violence or threatening behavior towards health staff is unacceptable and that the government is undertaking risk assessments and committed to improving conditions for nurses and midwives.
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