Police are investigating after the female nurse was allegedly assualted by two people on an electric scooter on Hagley Ave on Monday night.
“At around 8.20pm, the woman was walking to work and was hit in the back by two people on an electric scooter,” a police spokesperson said.
“Police are making inquiries.”
A hospital worker told chrislynchmedia.com that staff had been warned about the incident and were informed the offender tried to steal the nurse’s backpack.
She was treated in the Emergency Department for shoulder injuries, the hospital worker said.
Health NZ regional deputy chief executive for the South Island Martin Keogh said the assault was "very disturbing".
Keogh said the hospital had increased security patrols.
"We are working with police, our council colleagues, to try and think about and put as many strategies in place to try protect our people," he said.
There was a shortage of car parking in the area and people driving to work had to park a distance away from the hospital at times, he said. The hospital had a free shuttle service from 9pm to 1am to take people to and from their cars.
Keogh said the hospital parking rate of $25 a day was cheaper than alternatives in the area.
The attack comes about two weeks after a “violent” assault on a staff member who had finished work at Christchurch Hospital’s community birthing centre on Antigua St.
Security was “bolstered” around the birthing unit after the incident.
-With RNZ
