Victoria’s Northern Health is leading an Australian-first review of occupational violence and aggression (OVA) rates in a health setting.
The review is being delivered in partnership with the world-leading Monash University Accident Research Centre.
Minister for Health, Harriet Shing said it is the first time a health service has opened its systems to a comprehensive, independent review of this scale.
It is also an acknowledgement of the increasing occurrence of OVA towards health workers at Northern Health, she said.
In 2024/25 alone, the health service reported 4,275 incidents – the highest number across the state.
“Our healthcare workers do incredible work caring for Victorians and they deserve to be safe and treated with respect,” said Minister Shing.
“The human impact of these disturbing and violent incidents is significant and the increase in cases in unacceptable.”
“We are looking at new ways of keeping healthcare workers safe – because we will always have their backs.”
The review will focus on the underlying causes of violence and how to prevent incidents before they occur.
It will consult staff to understand when and where incidents occur and assess other relevant factors such as workplace design, hospital security and training.
Once complete, the findings will be used by Northern Health to develop a three-year plan.
