A HEALTHCARE worker at Canberra Hospital is frustrated after she had her car keyed when it was parked on a residential street during her evening shift yesterday (August 4). 

Rosie Barritt-Eyles, who’s been working in pathology at the hospital for six years, says its not uncommon, and due to limited staff parking, workers are forced to park on the side of residential streets or in public carparks, which is where the vandalism usually occurs.

Noticing an increase in the past two years, Rosie often sees and hears about cars being keyed, windows being smashed and tyres being slashed, due to a shortage of secure parking at the hospital.

Yesterday, she was parked in the Garran Scout Hall carpark at Garran Oval on Kitchener Street, next to the COVID Surge Centre, when her car was keyed during her 11am-7pm shift.

“If your working an evening shift, you have to park away from the hospital because the staff parking fills up in the morning,” she says.

“My friend had her tyres slashed. She had a screwdriver stabbed into them.

“When you tell people about it, everyone has a friend whose had a car damaged or a window smashed.”

As a healthcare worker, unable to work from home, Rosie says its frustrating because they’re supporting the community and have no choice but to drive in for work.

Another issue for health care workers, according to Rosie, is safety, and she says there’s no lights in the areas where they’re forced to park.

“Usually we have to walk in the dark,” she says.