UPDATE:

A NURSE allegedly assaulted by a mental health patient at Robina Hospital was told to “stop complaining” and think about her career, State Parliament has been told.

Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates said staff in the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit held grave fears for the safety of patients and employees due to the number of dangerous patients getting treatment.

More allegations about assaults involving mental health patients were provided by Ms Bates during a brief statement to the Parliament this afternoon.

Ms Bates earlier today had asked Health Minister Cameron Dick about whether a patient who had sexually assaulted an intellectually disabled patient and absconded three times should be allowed to be treated in the unit.

She said the sexual predator at the hospital had allegedly absconded three times from the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit and was “currently at large in the community.

But a spokesman for Gold Coast Health said: “Gold Coast Health can confirm that no mental health patients with a history of sexual offending are Absent Without Permission from our hospitals.”

Ms Bates stood by her comments when contacted, and outside the Parliament said she had received information that the patient at midday yesterday was still AWOL.

The source had told her: “The patient has gone AWOL again. They came back with police on Monday but they’ve gone again and they are at large in the community now.”

Ms Bates in a private statement to the Parliament this afternoon said staffers in recent weeks had provided her with the following details:

— A nurse who was sexually assaulted by a patient when reporting the incident was allegedly told “stop complaining, you should have a think about your career”.

- An intellectually disabled patient was not believed and considered “delusional” after providing details of a sexual assault.

— Extra staff has been rostered to “special” a female patient to keep her safe from a male forensic patient.

— A staff member was trapped in a staffroom late at night and managed to escape from the patient.

She said staff believed the incidents were becoming progressively worse and the dangerous patients were stretching resources.

EARLIER:

A SEXUAL predator who is a serial escapee remains on the run after again leaving the mental health unit at Robina Hospital, State Parliament has been told.

Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates has asked Health Minister Cameron Dick about the safety of patients during question time in the House this morning.

She said the sexual predator at the hospital, who had allegedly sexually assaulted an intellectually disabled patient in the mental health unit, had absconded three times from the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit and was “currently at large in the community.

media_camera Health Minister Cameron Dick questioned about the safety of patients during question time in the House this morning. Pictures: Jack Tran

Ms Bates asked Mr Dick what he was doing “to protect patients from this sexual predator” and whether he believed “a patient like this should be housed just 800 metres from a school”.

The patient was understood to be under a forensic order but not part of any ongoing criminal proceedings, the Parliament was told.

Mr Dick told Parliament: “There are people in our mental health system who have committed serious criminal offences.

“Obviously we take our responsibility in Queensland Health very seriously to comply with orders by the Mental Court or the Mental Health Tribunal.

“Not only to treat patients so they can recover and return to the community but we also take our responsibility very seriously to protect those individuals from themselves. Because we know people suffering from mental illness harm themselves before they harm others.”

Mr Dick accused the Mudgeeraba MP of “running a campaign on the Coast … whipping up community concern, whipping up fear in the community about people who are mentally ill”.

“That’s her choice, and that speaks for herself,” Mr Dick said.

Opposition leader Lawrence Springborg accused Mr Dick of “smearing” the Mudgeeraba MP in his reply.

“I’m not smearing anyone. You would know about smearing,” Mr Dick replied.

Ms Bates responded by asking a Mr Dick “what are you going to do to protect the schoolchildren”.

Mr Dick said he had confidence in the Gold Coast Health Service and their security.

Ms Bates last week had asked Mr Dick about an earlier escape which led to a mental health patient being found inside the grounds at the Robina High School.

Police were required to remove the patient from the grounds, she said.

Security at the school has been increased with lobbying leading to the Government building a $500,000 fence but concerns remain about safety in the precinct and inside the hospital.

Police have launched an investigation after a mental health patient lit a fire inside the hospital on January 15.

The patient was alleged to have assaulted a nurse prior to be putting in a seclusion unit where he set fire to a mattress.

Staff put out the blaze and about five employees were later treated in the emergency department.