Staff at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital are speaking out after a midwifery student was assaulted while walking to the car park on Monday night.
Te Whatu Ora said yesterday it was "upset and dismayed" following the assault and told Breakfast it provides security so staff can be escorted if they feel unsafe.
However, one worker at the hospital said on one occasion security staff only walked her halfway to the car park at 3am.
Roz Child — who has worked at the hospital for a year — said she doesn't feel safe around the hospital late at night.
"I do worry I don't get home to my family," she said.
"I've just become a grandmother and I want to see her grow up. And if anything happens to me I've only got one child, and she's had her child.
"I want to see my daughter and my granddaughter get old or watch me get old."
Child said Monday night's assault has left herself and her colleagues feeling unsettled, with Child citing issues around parking.
"So either my daughter or my husband would have to drop me off and pick me up.
"My husband works, but I can't expect them to come to pick me up at 11 o'clock at night or 2.30am."
The health authority is hoping to make things safer for staff following the alleged incident. (Source: Breakfast)
With a lack of buses in her area, she said parking in the staff car park is the only real option for her.
Her alternatives include parking further away for free, requiring an even longer walk in the dark, or there's paid parking at a huge daily rate of $26. Staff can park in visitors' parking, but only after hours, which isn't much help for those finishing late.
When Breakfast visited the hospital after hours last night, it was noticeably quiet aside from the steady stream of workers coming and going, walking across a walkway in patches of darkness.
"Normally, I work eight hours. But if I have to, I'll do 12 hours. If I'm doing a night and we're short on staff for the next shift, then sometimes I work to about three o'clock the next morning," Child said.
"To be honest, I get it bit nervous. Because I don't know who's round the corner or, you know, anyone could be hiding in the bushes down there. So we try and move all together if we walk back over there."
Caroline Conroy said the concerns regarding the access to the hospital's car parks after hours have been "raised" in the past. (Source: Breakfast)
There are around 800 security staff working across the country's hospitals. They can help workers get to their cars after dark, but they're not always around, or free.
"Yeah, they were good enough to walk me halfway, but they stopped," Child said.
"But they could still see me walk into my car."
Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said healthcare workers should feel safe when travelling to and from work.
Child said she wants to see "more security for car parks, for the staff that work those hours".
Police said yesterday it is making initial inquiries into Monday night's assault. Te Whatu Ora's security team is assisting officers.
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