And experts claim the State Government’s controversial health care overhaul does not include plans to reduce attacks on staff and patients or rein in the growing security bill.

The number of Code Black alerts in Adelaide hospitals jumped to 8140 last financial year — an 11 per cent increase on the previous financial year, according to State Government figures.

At the same time, the taxpayer-funded security bill soared from $7.94 million to $12.76 million.

Code Black incidents — which have more than doubled since 2010 — involve the worst level of violence.

Assaults in 2013/14 included:

A NURSE kicked in the face

A SECURITY officer being punched in the head

A NURSE kicked in the stomach

A PATIENT slamming a nurse into a wall

MEDICAL staff subjected to gouging and scratching

Among Adelaide’s six general hospitals, the security budgets of all but the RAH surged by more than 100 per cent last financial year, according to figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws.

Health Minister Jack Snelling said there was “no excuse” for deliberate acts of violence in our hospitals.

“Last year, the State Government amended legislation to ensure that any person who intentionally causes serious harm to a health worker faces up to 25 years in prison,” he said..

“Our hard-working doctors and nurses do a tremendous job and should be able to carry out their work without the threat of violence.”

The Lyell McEwin Hospital had the biggest percentage spike, increasing from less than $770,000 to more than $1.9 million.

The security bills at the Queen Elizabeth and Flinders hospitals also jumped by more than $1 million, Modbury’s rose 162 per cent to $942,000 and Noarlunga’s 127 per cent to $747,000.

The RAH’s security costs jumped too, by a more modest 10 per cent — or $502,000 — to $5.35 million.

Family First MP Robert Brokenshire said aggressive behaviour putting staff and patients at risk and driving up security budgets was unacceptable but “there is no scenario in the Government’s Transforming Health Plan to deal with this issue.”

“This could escalate as a higher concentration of patients are moved to the proposed super emergency departments at the RAH, Flinders and Lyell McEwin hospitals,’’ Mr Brokenshire, who obtained the figures, said.

“The problem is twofold; on one hand, staff do not have the resources available to deal with patients suffering from mental health issues and on the other they are trying to deal with a growing illicit drug problem and the government is offering no solution.”

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation’s SA said it was not surprised at the rising security bills because it had complained to the Government about the increasing violence — especially in wards — its members were exposed to.

“But the Transforming Health plan is not addressing these specific issues,’’ the federation’s SA director of operations and strategy, Rob Bonner, said.

“Much more needs to be done and more details released.’’

Mr Bonner said Code Blacks were increasing because more staff were seeking security assistance before a confrontation escalated and because the “level of violence and aggression is rising.’’

And he said violence was not restricted to emergency departments.

“But I don’t think Transforming Health deals with the issue of violence in wards,’’ he said.

The Australian Medical Association has also criticised the lack of details in the health overhaul and said it was up to the Government to “make sure it has the right systems in place’’ to deal with violence in hospitals.

“Ever worker deserves a safe working environment,’’ AMA SA president Dr Patricia Montanaro.

“There will always be a need for some security but you must have the right systems in place so you can spend more on the health service and prevention.’’