Occupational violence and aggression - health facility design

Environmental design is a key consideration in addressing occupational violence and aggression in Victorian health services. Health services can use the following resources on environmental design to reduce occupational violence and aggression and increase staff and patient safety.

Health Service Violence Prevention Fund

To help health services identify, assess and control occupational violence hazards and risks in the workplace, the Victorian Government has established the Health Service Violence Prevention Fund. The fund is part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to address occupational violence and aggression in healthcare settings and is being used to remediate risks, with minor capital works targeted at improving the safety of staff in public healthcare services.

Improvements already funded include installing alarms, CCTV, access control doors, lighting and security systems, redesigning waiting areas, and trialling new equipment such as body worn cameras for paramedics and stab-proof vests for hospital security workers.

More information is available on the Health Service Violence Prevention Fund page.

Environmental design guidelines

Health services can use the Australasian health facility guidelines on environmental design to reduce occupational violence and aggression and increase staff and patient safety.

Australasian health facility guidelines, Part C: design for access, mobility, OHS and security

Behavioural assessment rooms

The department has developed Guidelines for behavioural assessment rooms in emergency departments to help health services to establish appropriate procedures and policies regarding the use and design of behavioural assessment rooms.

Body-worn cameras policy template

The department has developed a Body-worn cameras policy template (2017) to provide guidance for health services that decide to procure and use body-worn cameras.

The department has approved a submission to the Health Service Violence Prevention Fund from Ambulance Victoria to procure and trial body-worn cameras in 2017.

Reviewed 16 February 2017

Health.vic

Contact details

Worker Wellbeing Department of Health

50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

whwb@health.vic.gov.au