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Minister to ‘urgently investigate’ claims hospitals turned rape victims away

Queensland’s health minister will urgently investigate allegations that rape victims have been turned away at hospitals.

Oct 11, 2023, updated Oct 11, 2023
Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman. (AAP Image/Darren England)

Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman. (AAP Image/Darren England)

Shannon Fentiman will also meet a whistleblower over claims Brisbane mental health patients have been forced to sleep on the floor due to chronic hospital bed shortages.

Ms Fentiman has contacted Queensland Liberal National leader David Crisafulli for more information following opposition claims that sexual assault victims couldn’t be examined when they arrived at hospitals due to a lack of rape testing kits or trained staff.

Currumbin MP Laura Gerber told parliament one woman had been told by hospital staff to “go home, don’t wash and come back tomorrow”.

Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates said another rape victim in August had been told she couldn’t be examined due to a lack of trained staff and was transferred to another hospital, only to be ramped for a further eight hours.

And Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm said a woman was told by a hospital the same month they had no rape testing kits and to take a photo of her injuries and come back the next day.

Ms Fentiman said she was unaware of the allegations, describing them as “incredibly distressing” during Question Time.

“It is absolutely my expectation that any woman that has experienced a sexual assault…is seen quickly, is seen in time and is dealt with in a trauma informed way,” she later told reporters.

“And if it is not happening it is not good enough.”

Ms Fentiman said new rape testing kits were available at every hospital and health service, with more than 180 clinicians trained since July to use them under Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce reforms.

A 24-hour hotline to assist clinicians about the rape kit tests has also been set up.

The establishment of the first state-wide forensic examination service was also recommended under taskforce reforms and Ms Fentiman said consultants EY had been contracted in April to conduct a review to assist.

Ms Fentiman said their report arrived on Monday and she would be briefed in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie on Tuesday told parliament clinical nurse Nat Karmichael had claimed Brisbane mental health patients had to wait eight days for care, slept on the floor or couches and were crammed in inappropriate wards.

Mr Karmichael told ABC that years of frustration over bed shortages at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital mental health unit had prompted him to come forward.

Ms Fentiman said Mr Karmichael had contacted her office and she would speak to him later on Tuesday.

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