I was recently in PMH with my child for 9 days. The facilities at Megazone and Livewire are wonderful initiatives for helping to keep PMH's young patients entertained and as happy as possible. The staff from Livewire visited my child on the ward before my child was well enough to visit Livewire, and provided my child with arts & crafts, playing cards, and comics to entertain them. The staff and volunteers at Livewire and Megazone do a fabulous job.
My experience was unfortunately marred by an incident that occurred while my child was in Livewire and I was sat outside on the terrace at Megazone (as parents are not allowed in the Livewire zone). I was verbally abused by a woman who accused me of staring at her. She yelled and swore at me, approached me aggressively and threatened to - poke my eyes out. I was very shocked and shaken by this and once she had retreated away from me, went to inform the lady at the front desk of the incident. She phoned security to ask them to come and escort the woman out, but from what I understood security refused to attend - I believe telling her that they would only come for a duress alarm or code black. She therefore activated the duress alarm and security then attended and I relayed the incident to them, but they said they couldn't do anything as it was my word against hers. They did not ask if anyone else witnessed the incident (there were several other witnesses to the incident who could have corroborated what I had said) and were not even concerned about confirming if the child with her was a patient of the hospital. Security did say that they would have a word with her. I collected my child from Livewire and left distraught feeling that there was no safe sanctuary away from the ward.
I'm concerned that the lady at the front desk had noted no security presence at Megazone at all that day. I'm concerned that anyone off the street can walk in there and I'm concerned by the lack of concern of security at PMH to the threats that were made to me.
The employee of Megazone was absolutely lovely, supportive and brought a cup of tea up to me on the ward and I eventually ventured back down to Megazone for my child's sake. It's a great facility with great staff and volunteers, unfortunately let down by the security at PMH.
"Security at Princess Margaret Hospital"
About: Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Subiaco 6008
Posted by Felt unsafe (as ),
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