YOUR SAY: Hospital Staff should not have to put up with bad behaviour

During the next four days, what I witnessed and heard from my room from a patient who was also being treated for heart issues was absolutely appalling.

Whilst the nursing staff and other medical personnel were trying to perform their duties on the patient ( a homeless man, I was advised ), they were screamed at with the foulest of language, continually abused verbally at all times whenever they entered his room to treat him.

He would slam his door and punch the walls of the room continuously. His threatening behaviour could be heard throughout the ward.

His behaviour was so inconsistent that a security guard was placed 24/7 outside of his room. On one occasion, four security guards were seen on the ward monitoring the situation.

This abhorrent behaviour was happening on and off at all times of the day and night. It was quite apparent that the patient had serious mental health issues. For him to be admitted to a public hospital ward that was treating critically ill patients ( sadly, a patient passed away during this period ) is a disgrace.

The patients, many elderly ( I am a 72 yo war veteran with various health issues ), would have felt threatened with what they heard throughout this episode.

The amazing staff who I found always provided first-class care were expected to tolerate this behaviour and go about their regular duties as if nothing was happening within the ward. It was obvious to all they, too, were at times distressed and working under a lot of pressure. Remembering this is a coronary care unit, not a general ward.

How can a system allow this to happen? The patient should have been transferred to a more secure facility where he could get the necessary treatment needed in an environment that did not affect the health and welfare of staff and seriously ill patients.

Could you please publish an article on this as we need to protect the health workers in our state from this happening regularly?

Paul H Zaat.

I recently had an accident in the Hospital car parking area after I had just dropped my husband at the Emergency Department and I would like to thank the very kind and caring people who helped me. Marie Whitehouse, a nurse on her break, who saw what had happened and stayed with me the whole time., Mark DeLuca, who moved my car, rang my son to advise him what had happened and gave me a lift home, and the Facility Manager (I don't have a name) who offered to give my husband a lift home when he was discharged. Thank you all so much. Last, but by no means least, to the young man (I won't name him) who came back to his vehicle to find it undrivable and how was very courteous to me.

Fran Wright, Caringbah,

On my daily 30 minute walk around my neighbourhood of Menai, I have noticed many of my neighbours are blowing their grass clippings, leaf litter and twigs/small branches onto our roads and into our gutters - this, of course, is happening all over Sydney unfortunately.

Request my fellow Sutherland Shire residents, please refrain from blowing grass clippings, leaf litter etc., onto our roads as this rubbish will end up in our gutters and the stormwater and water system.

Have bought the problem to the attention of Sydney Water on May 8 and they referred me to my "local council"; emailed Sutherland Shire Council (SSC) seeking an article in the eNewsletter "Our Shire" on May 8 to bring this problem to the attention of my fellow residents also to no avail. (i.e. no response received to date )

I have spoken to our Sutherland Shire Council street sweeper truck driver in my area who fully agrees blowing of grass clipping and leaf litter is now happening more and more frequently and entirely agrees this should stop in everybody's best interests.

Professionals and neighbours mowing lawns are jointly responsible - professional lawnmower contractors tend to blow their grass clippings and leaf litter onto the road/into gutters more often than not.

Requesting my fellow SSC residents & professional lawnmower contractors to please blow your grass clippings and leaf litter etc., onto your lawns before mowing and pick it up that way rather than blowing the debris onto our roads which will lead to the blocking of our stormwater drainage system.

Peter de Jarlais, Menai

Sutherland residents look like they are celebrating the end of a COVID lockdown. In the shopping centre, the carparks are full; footpaths are crowded. However, not everyone is wearing a mask.

C P, Sutherland

Mark Speakman and Lee Evans seemed to have to have let the residents of East Heathcote down by not allocating funds for the updating of the East Heathcote Bridge.

Well overdue to be either widened or another access bridge to be installed to ease congestion, particularly when emergency evacuation will be needed during bushfires. The voter's pen is mightier than a fake political promise at the next election.

R.Clarke, Heathcote

Sutherland Shire Council is not adhering to the public health order by letting Kurnell skate park stay open during the lockdown. People have complained about multiple youths and 20 something-year-olds congregating without masks and not social distancing at the park. Most say they are "exercising", but my adult son says it is just a good excuse and a place he can hang out with his 12 mates. Also, no cleaning of equipment is occurring. Last week a child of a close contact snuck out of his quarantine and skated at the park for 3 hours. Shame on you, Council, for not sharing this info and not closing the skate park. Residents of surrounding areas ask again, please close the park during lockdown

Name and address supplied.