Influence, Ibac and violence in hospitals: the many problems uncovered by the investigation into a Victorian union contract

Four-in-five hospital staff who attended the occupational violence training run by the health union did not think the program that was relevant to the health sector. Photograph: Fly View Productions/Getty Images

In May 2017, Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann, a dedicated heart and lung surgeon was punched outside his Melbourne hospital after asking his attacker to stop smoking in a non-smoking area. Four weeks later, he died from the catastrophic brain injury.

It was a shocking case, coming amid rising numbers of violent acts committed against Victorian health workers at the time.