A FORMER police officer has slammed Sutherland Hospital staff for allowing a knife-wielding man to terrorise sick patients in an emergency department waiting room for more than 15 minutes.
Worse still, the patient allegedly obtained the knife from the hospital, Sutherland police said.
The former officer, who was in the waiting room with her baby, said more than 10 sick patients were trapped in the waiting room during the frightening incident on the evening of Saturday, January 12.
But Central Hospital Network general manager Sue Shilbury denied the claim, saying at no time did the man use the knife to threaten anyone in the waiting room.
The witness said the disgruntled patient told reception staff he had a knife in his pocket and would stab himself if he was not seen to by another doctor. After being told to leave, he returned with a knife.
``From the time the man made the initial threat it was 15 minutes before security arrived and then three police vehicles,'' the witness said. ``He kicked off his shoe and pulled out a knife and threatened to stab himself on the spot.''
The witness said he then stabbed at the reception counter, sliced through a wheelchair and blocked the exit and security door leading into emergency.
``He stood at the exit doors eyeing all the sick people waiting. No one moved.''
She said reception staff should have contacted police or hospital security as soon as the patient threatened to produce a knife.
``I'm disgusted at the way it was handled by staff. From now on, I will go to the emergency department at Kareena Private Hospital. I will never go to Sutherland Hospital ever again.''
Ms Shilbury said security officers responded to the incident within three minutes of it occurring and that security camera footage of the incident had been reviewed. ``At no time did the patient use the knife to threaten anyone in the waiting room,'' she said.
Sutherland police apprehended the man, 23, of Engadine, at the hospital, but he was not charged. But police said they would revisit the matter in light of new claims the man threatened people with the knife.
Police said the man had been taken to the hospital by police after threatening self-harm. He was seen to by a doctor but was not detained under the Mental Health Act.
After leaving the hospital, he was later seen outside the building by security staff, allegedly screaming and holding a knife.
Police attended the scene and confiscated the knife. The patient was again seen to by a doctor and was detained in the hospital under the Mental Health Act.
Ms Shilbury said there was a minimum of two security officers on site at the hospital at any given time.