The Police Minister says permanent security guards in hospitals may be something the Government will have to look at.

A Wairarapa Hospital visitor suffered a skull fracture after being struck with a machete in the emergency department on Saturday night.

A 62-year-old man's facing charges as an incident team is reviewing what happened that evening.

Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking that front-line staff need some support.

He says they do need to have a wider look at it, adding it's 'just sad.'

Labour's Ginny Andersen said that if this continues, people who need medical attention may not seek it because they're afraid to go to the emergency department.

She said that people shouldn't be afraid to go to our hospitals.

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