AN investigation is under way into an incident at Logan Hospital in which a teenage girl in a mixed gender ward was allegedly molested by a male patient.
The mother said she attended the hospital in November last year with her 17-year-old daughter who was admitted to a room with three adult males.
“During the night my daughter was woken by one of the patients in her room and sexually assaulted,” the mother said.
“My daughter called the nursing staff, who removed the male patient but was not offered any further support from the staff on duty.
“It wasn’t until I arrived at the hospital the next morning that she was offered any support.”
The mother said the hospital did not call her about what had happened. “I’m not letting this go,” she said.
She has lodged a complaint with the hospital and police and considers Logan Hospital and Queensland Health failed in their duty of care.
“It is apparent that teenage children are not being appropriately accommodated during hospital stays and do not have the option to have an adult they trust stay with them for safety and security,” she said.
“It is the responsibility of the hospital staff to ensure the safety of all of their patients, especially adolescent patients placed in adult wards, and provide adequate supervision and assurance to prevent incidents such as this occurring.”
Assistant executive director of Logan Bayside Health Network Michael Draheim said it had been a distressing experience for the patient and her family.
“We have offered our sincere apologies to the patient, as well as social work support,” he said. “Counselling has also been offered by Queensland Police Service.”
He said the incident involved a confused elderly patient and staff were assisting police with their investigation.
Mr Draheim said patient safety and comfort was a priority.
“Wherever possible, we endeavour to allocate rooms to patients of the same gender, however at times we cannot guarantee these as demand for a bed takes priority,” he said.
“Patients are allocated to wards based on their condition. We have a limited number of rooms, therefore at times mixed gender rooms are necessary to ensure patients’ clinical needs are met.
“Patients are moved where possible, and as soon as possible, to reduce mixed genders in wards.”
The hospital did not respond to questions about how often women are placed with men in wards nor if there was an option for this policy to be changed.
The mother said placing a young female in a room with adult males was a risk and a review was urgently needed.
“We are fortunate that my daughter had the confidence and presence of mind to fight off her attacker,” she said. “This situation could have resulted in an even more traumatic incident had she not been able to assert herself (although) she is still struggling with what happened and requiring counselling.
“...I no longer have the confidence to leave my children in the care of a hospital facility.”
