What is the latest information on improvements to security in public hospitals and health centres?
Mr KNOWLES: The honourable member for Port Stephens is obviously pleased with the recent opening of an ambulance station in his electorate—and there is a lot more coming through the pipeline. But the question is about security in hospitals. Over the past four months all area health services have been upgrading their safety and security measures throughout our hospitals, largely following on the increased intensity and awareness since the death of a patient in Kempsey hospital. For example, over the past four months hospitals on the mid North Coast have installed a variety of alarms, security screens and duress alarms, and extra security officers have been provided at Coffs Harbour and Manning base hospitals and Bellinger River District Hospital. On the Central Coast duress alarms have been upgraded at Woy Woy and Wyong hospitals, lighting at Gosford has been upgraded, and Long Jetty hospital has engaged a security firm to patrol its precincts between the hours of 8.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m
