A nurse was reportedly stabbed near Canberra Hospital, prompting safety concerns for staff coming and going from the hospital in the late and early hours.
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Canberra Health Services have confirmed there was an incident about two weeks ago in which a duress alarm was triggered and security and police attended. Reports suggest the man was near a Canberra Hospital car park when he was attacked.
Wardsmen nearby were reportedly among the first on the scene to assist and it's understood the nurse is recovering well.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation ACT branch secretary Matthew Daniel said he was aware of the incident and that safety coming to and from car parks near Canberra Hospital had been a concern to staff for some time.
He said he had been in correspondence with the hospital about security concerns and the possibility of organising parking in more secure locations for staff working during night hours.
A CHS spokesperson said it took the safety of its staff very seriously, last month extending its courtesy bus operating hours from 7pm to 11pm, seven days a week to assist staff returning to cars after shifts.
"Staff working late are encouraged to call our security staff to request an escort to their car at the end of their shift ... Security staff are on standby 24 hours a day to respond if duress alarms in and around the campus are activated. There are also monitored CCTV systems and contracted security guards who regularly patrol all campus car parks."
Opposition health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne said she wrote to Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris asking her to confirm reports that a male nurse was stabbed in the neck and the back in the car park opposite the hospital on Yamba Drive.
"If this is true, this is a very alarming incident indeed," Mrs Dunne told the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
"From time to time staff have expressed to me their concern about accessing staff car parks, late at night.
"If this incident did take place the minister needs to immediately inform staff about what extra security measures are in place to ensure that staff are safe especially those that leave work late at night.
"Staff at Canberra Hospital and Canberra Health Services do a fantastic job every day under trying circumstances."
Mrs Dunne said staff not only deserved to feel safe at work, but coming and going.
"Their workplace is tougher than most and they deserve to feel safe at work," she said.
"After a long day at work they shouldn't have to feel on their guard while walking to a government supplied carpark.
"I call on the minister for health to take immediate action."
ACT Policing did not respond to a request for comment.
