Historic state ministerial directive orders EDs to attend to sexual assault victims within 10 minutes
'I've repeatedly made clear that victims of sexual assault should be treated in a timely and trauma-informed way,' says Queensland Minister for Health.
Queensland’s Minister for Health has issued a directive demanding public hospitals help victims of sexual assault within 10 minutes.
State health minister Shannon Fentiman intervened on Friday last week after being told that “multiple hospitals” had failed to provide sexual assault victims with timely care after presenting to EDs.
It is the state’s first ministerial directive exercised under a power made available through legislation passed in 2011. It means hospitals would face disciplinary action if the directive is not followed.
Under the demand, all 26 reporting hospitals must have appropriate staff available to administer forensic tests in a timely manner, 24 hours a day.
