The woman was walking to work at Christchurch Hospital. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Police are investigating another assault on a hospital worker in Christchurch who was on her way to work.
Senior Sergeant Paul Robertson said two people on an electric scooter hit the woman in the back on Hagley Avenue at 8.20pm on Monday.
Health NZ regional deputy chief executive for the South Island Martin Keogh said the assault was "very disturbing".
It comes a fortnight after a student midwife was attacked on the way to their car after leaving work at Christchurch Hospital's birthing unit at night.
Keogh said the hospital had increased security patrols.
"We are working with police, our council colleagues, to try and think about and put as many strategies in place to try protect our people," he said.
"Health New Zealand takes the care of our people very seriously, both at work and as they come to and from work. We're trying to put every strategy in place to try to protect our people from these very unsavoury events," he said.
"These were remote incidents off the hospital campus. It's really, really disappointing and unfortunate and I really feel for the staff involved. This is not okay."
Keogh conceded parking was a challenge around the hospital, but it had introduced a free shuttle service to take staff to their cars after-hours and security patrols had increased around the health precinct.
Nurses had previously told RNZ staff were walking to their cars after work because they were waiting 30 minutes or more for the shuttle to arrive.
The service ran from 9pm until 1am, after which most staff had left work or arrived for their shift, although demand was increasing, Keogh said.
"We're trying to make sure that we put as much service on, but obviously if the shuttle has departed by picking up some people and they're in transit, it is a bit on an inconvenience for staff to maybe have to wait," he said.
Keogh said hospital parking fees of $25 per day were cheaper than commercial rates in the area.
New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels said she was "horrified" and " sickened" by the attack.
"Any employee needs to be safe going to and from work," she said.
"The fact that Te Whatu Ora has stated that the incident happened off campus doesn't take away from the responsibility to actually keep their employees safe.
"We've been calling for safe car-parking that is affordable to all staff for years and their sticking plaster responses are just not good enough."
Daniels said the hospital should make sure shuttle trips were frequent enough to meet demand.
"Nurses, doctors and the wider team are tired and exhausted already, they just want to go home. If they know it's going to take a long time to get to their car, what other choice to they make? They walk and they take that risk," she said.
Health New Zealand Canterbury group director of operations Hamish Brown said staff safety was a top priority and the hospital was considering further security measures.
"This incident is being taken very seriously and the matter is being investigated by police. We are supporting the staff member involved and working with police. Any violence and aggression towards our staff and others is unacceptable," he said in a statement.
Senior Sergeant Paul Robertson said police were making inquiries into Monday's attack.
"At around 8.20pm the woman was walking to work and was hit in the back by two people on an electric scooter," he said.
Police said they did not receive a report about the attack on the midwife earlier this month.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
