Hospital security appeared powerless against 'intimidating' patient, witness says
A hospital patient in Palmerston North exhibited intimidating behavior toward staff and other patients, raising concerns about security protocols. Witnesses noted that security officers appeared unable to intervene, leading to frustration regarding the safety of the emergency department environment.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the growing tension between hospital security limitations and the need to maintain a safe environment for vulnerable patients in public health facilities.
A woman who waited more than eight hours in a hospital emergency department says security officers appeared powerless to stop a man intimidating other patients.
The woman, who asked not to be named, arrived at the Palmerston North Hospital ED about 3pm on 28 July.
The man was escorted in by police about 11pm, who then left the scene, she said. The man behaved poorly, getting in people's faces, vaping, crashing into a wall and writhing on the ground, she said.
The man appeared to have come to the emergency department because of a sore shoulder, she said.
"He was just being really weird and intimidating, and walking up to people and staring at them in the eyes, then walking on to the next person.
"There were a number of older people and people with little babies in there, and he didn't seem to care about that," she said.
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