Geelong hospital patient under police guard after another patient found dead

A Geelong hospital patient is under police guard after the body of a mental health patient was discovered by police inside the facility.

Homicide detectives are investigating the death, after emergency services were called to the corner of Myers and Swanston streets about 2am on Monday.

The body of a 31-year-old man from Highton in Geelong was found inside the acute mental health ward at the hospital, where he had been a patient.

“Another man, also a patient at the hospital, is currently under police guard,” a police spokesperson said.

Police said the two men were known to each other.

The Myers-Swanston streets intersection where police were called to is the site of Barwon Health’s Swanston Centre, a government-run service which provides intensive care for patients with mental health, drug, and alcohol conditions.

The centre immediately borders Barwon Health’s larger healthcare precinct in the area, and Barwon Health confirmed on Monday the dead person was an inpatient in the acute mental health ward.

The coroner was notified after the matter was reported to police, the health service’s chief medical officer Ajai Verma said.

“We extend our condolences to the family of the deceased patient,” Verma said in a statement.

“Support has been extended to staff.”

Rebecca Sprekos, assistant state secretary of the Health and Community Services Union, said there had been longstanding safety issues with the set-up of the hospital unit.

She said while some of the beds had been refurbished to have private bathrooms, many still shared bathrooms, which allowed patients to access each other’s rooms.

Sprekos said she did not know the exact location of the death.

“Someone has lost their life and it is an incredible tragedy,” she said. “The impact on staff will be significant.”

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier described the death as “horrific” and called on the government to investigate.

“No one should be killed in hospital,” she said. “Hospital is meant to be a safe place.”

The Swanston Centre has a history of failings. A series of deaths there have been the subject of coronial inquests and WorkSafe probes.

Natasha Ablett, sister of AFL legend Gary Ablett Jr and daughter of Gary Ablett Snr, fled the facility 36 times. She absconded a final time in 2017 and died of a drug overdose.

In April 2024, a coronial investigation was launched after a 54-year-old woman’s body was found inside the centre. In June 2024, 22-year-old Bellamy Nieto was found dead inside the facility just days after attempting to take his own life inside the same ward. Nieto’s family last year sued Barwon Health.

In the 2024-25 financial year, there were about 51 reported occupational health and safety hazards per 100 staff, according to Barwon Health’s annual report.

Crisis support is available from Lifeline 13 11 14.

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