A major push to bolster security across Victoria’s healthcare system could see armed law enforcement officers patrolling the corridors of Melbourne’s busiest hospitals under a newly proposed policy.

Announced ahead of the November state election, the Liberal-National Coalition has pledged a two-year pilot program that would deploy 70 Protective Services Officers (PSOs) across seven major hospitals. The armed, 24-hour presence is designed to deter violence, respond to emergency incidents, assist in guarding high-risk patients or prisoners, and escort vulnerable medical staff to their vehicles after late shifts.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson championed the initiative, emphasizing that the trial is a practical solution to a growing crisis on the healthcare frontline.

"PSOs will provide that security presence, working alongside existing security, integrating with them, and providing a visible deterrence around these hospitals to ensure that patients feel safe and clinicians feel safe," Wilson said.

She defended the proposal against critics, noting that PSOs are already a familiar and accepted presence in public life. "PSOs are on our train stations. They work on government buildings. These people are trained, they know how to de-escalate, they know how to work in an operational sense," she added.

Addressing Rising Violence in Emergency Departments

The proposal comes on the heels of alarming data tabled in the Victorian parliament, which revealed nearly 24,000 violent incidents across the state's public health services during the 2024-2025 financial year.

Currently, Victoria Police officers are frequently called away from their regular duties to respond to safety threats in emergency departments. Under the Coalition's plan, having dedicated PSOs on-site would free up active police resources while maintaining an immediate, armed response capability inside the hospitals.

PSOs were first introduced to Victoria in 2011 by the Ted Baillieu-led Liberal-National government, primarily to patrol train stations. While they possess powers to search, arrest, and fine individuals, these powers are currently restricted to public transport zones. The new proposal would expand their operational jurisdiction to include major hospital grounds.

Government Criticizes 'Law and Order' Focus

The state government has raised concerns over the policy, arguing that the opposition's focus is misplaced. Minister for Medical Research Anthony Carbines accused the Coalition of being single-mindedly focused on policing rather than clinical care.

"It's fascinating that the opposition are more focused about law and order in our health services than investment in nurses, investment in health workers, investment in health practitioners," Carbines said.

"That's the sort of conversation I want to have about how we invest in the people that make change in our health services that save lives, that change lives. That's where the investment has to go," Carbines added, pointing to the government's ongoing support for frontline workers and medical research funding.