NT Health Department acting chief executive Susan Bowden has refused to explain how men armed with a machete and a nulla-nulla entered Tennant Creek Hospital to allegedly assault a patient last week, while the Australian Medical Association has raised safety concerns and NT WorkSafe has pledged to inquire into the incident after the department failed to notify the workplace regulator.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Steve Edgington has refused to acknowledge the incident occurred and NT Police kept the attack from the public for a week until questioned by the NT Independent yesterday. It later confirmed three men allegedly went into the hospital with weapons about 5.30am on June 12 and punched a patient who had a leg injury inflicted at the Mulga Town Camp earlier that morning.

Subscribe or Log in to read the rest of this content.