The man accused of stabbing Melbourne teenager Masa Vukotic to death in Doncaster punched Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the face nine years ago.

Mr Abbott was visiting the Thomas Embling Hospital on February 22, 2006, in his capacity as Federal Health Minister when he was attacked in the hospital's acute care unit.

The Thomas Embling is a secure psychiatric hospital in Fairfield, in Melbourne's inner-north, which takes patients from the justice and public mental health systems.

Media reports of the incident say Mr Abbott was hit twice, without warning.