Wollongong Hospital staff called off planned industrial action at the last minute on Friday after management committed to further investigate this week's sacking of a security worker.
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The health and security assistant was sacked on Wednesday following a violent incident with a patient in the mental health unit in early December.
Health Services Union members held a meeting at the hospital on Thursday, voting to take industrial action on Friday afternoon if the worker was not reinstated.
HSU secretary Gerard Hayes claimed the worker was protecting a nurse when he attempted to restrain the patient, causing him to fall back and hit his head.
Mr Hayes said Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District management said the worker had used excessive force, however they had not seen all the CCTV footage.
ISLHD management met with HSU representatives before the Industrial Relations Commission at midday on Friday over the proposed work bans.
"There's been a commitment by the employer to go back and look at further CCTV footage the union has identified," HSU industrial officer Greg O'Donohue said. "So there's no planned industrial action at this stage."
Mr O'Donohue said the additional CCTV footage showed the patient lunging at the nurse, causing the security assistant to intervene.
"The patient became aggressive … and when the security assistant tried to restrain him he went over backwards and struck his head, requiring stitches," he said.
"Our concern is that management has not gone through the proper investigation process before sacking him."
ISLHD chief executive Margot Mains said management would consider any new evidence. However she said the CCTV footage which had been reviewed as part of the investigation showed "a clearly inappropriate response to the patient".
"We certainly acknowledge the often challenging circumstances that all staff who work in health may face," she said, "but the district expects that all staff work within a code of conduct and abide by strict policies relating to the treatment of our patients and the safety of our staff."
Ms Mains said when concerns were raised regarding the workplace behaviour of staff, they were thoroughly investigated according to NSW Health policy and procedural fairness was applied: "all of which occurred in this instance".
However the HSU's Mr Hayes said the incident highlighted issues with security at hospital at Wollongong, and around the state.
Our concern is that management has not gone through the proper investigation process before sacking him.
"This just underpins the fundamental campaign the union has around security in hospitals - that they're under resourced and under funded in this area," he said.
"It's important to note that in terms of health policy, if any patient needs to be restrained there should be five staff members involved.This shows the intent of the policy is very seldom followed, if at all.
"Because here's another occasion where just one person was available. One person who was trying to look after people's safety, and the next minute their job's gone."