Nurses and Midwives Union ANMF Tasmania have announced that their members at the (Royal) Hobart Hospital will hold a Stop Work tomorrow following ongoing sustained and unreasonable workloads that they say are impacting both staffing and quality patient care outcomes.
Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd said staffing challenges have been ongoing well before the COVID-19 pandemic but have been exacerbated by the pandemic and now a national shortage.
“However, despite the ANMF and members calling for action for years, the incentives and solutions have been slow to occur, leaving Tasmania lagging behind,” Shepherd said.
“These are of course still welcomed but will not be the panacea they otherwise may have been. These challenges have been further impacted by Government election commitment to ‘ban ramping’ which has resulted in an increase in ED workloads of up to 23% in recent months.”
She said the effect has been that there is now hospital-wide pressure to move patients out of inpatient beds more quickly resulting in unrealistic workloads due to no additional staffing resources.
Shepherd said members are burnt out and exhausted and urgent action is needed.
“Members are absolutely wrecked and it’s impacting their own health and wellbeing, leading members to reduce their hours or leaving nursing and midwifery,” she said.
“This is exacerbating staffing challenges even more.”
The union cited statistics showing that at the RHH Emergency Department in the last 12 months, 44% of shifts were worked below the required staffing minimum.
“There are over 600FTE permanent positions vacant just in the North and South regions. Urgent action is needed to support our members in their delivery of safe and quality care.”
Shepherd said the ANMF has been engaged in discussion with the Department about solutions.
“These discussions have been productive but have not yet resulted in tangible outcomes to our members,” she noted.
“Clearly, how the staffing challenges impact patient care have been clearly illustrated over the last week in the Maternity Unit at the RHH, patients’ lives are at risk.
“The upcoming budget is also a source of serious concern for members as health and staffing cannot sustain further cuts. We encourage all to join us to show your support.”
Greens Health Spokesperson Cecily Rosol said that the Liberal Government still refuses to listen to workers who are crying out for safe staffing levels and improved working conditions so they can better care for Tasmanians.
“When hospitals are understaffed, it puts people in danger,” she said. “We’re seeing significant delays in patients receiving the vital healthcare treatment that they need due to staff shortages. They’re waiting in the emergency room, corridors and on the ramps. It’s just not good enough.”
Nurses and midwives are working hard to provide their patients with the care they need, and it’s pushing them to breaking point. These stop work actions are the result of months of Liberal Government failure to address the staff shortages in our health system.
Rosol said that ahead of the State Budget next week, the Rockliff Government must commit to funding the staffing increases needed in the healthcare system instead of a billion-dollar stadium.
JOBS REPORT: PAY RISE VITAL TO END ECEC WORKFORCE CRISIS
A pay rise to address the workforce crisis in early childhood education and care has been recommended in a major new report examining the sector.
In findings released today, the Jobs and Skills Australia report The Future of the Early Childhood Education Profession finds:
– “Current workforce levels are not sustainable to even meet current levels of demand.”
– “Workforce shortages are apparent in most regions across major cities, regional and remote Australia and are forecast to persist over the next ten years.”
The report also recommends:
– “Governments should contribute funding to drive long-term wage growth for ECEC workers.”
“The report’s finding that the workforce is eight per cent below where it should be right now to meet current demand shows just how bad things are for educators and those depending on them,” commented Carolyn Smith, United Workers Union Early Education Director.
She considered the report important because it “shows in full the workforce crisis” affecting early childhood education and care, and therefore impacting the families and kids who rely on these services.
“In recognising the link between entrenched low wages and the disincentive for educators to either work in the sector or stick around, this report offers a blueprint to reform a sector that is vital to families and vital to children’s futures,” she said.
“It is welcome news that the Federal Government has already committed to delivering a 15 per cent pay rise to address the crisis.
On top of Job and Skills Australia’s recommendations for an upwards shift in award wages, the report also recommends improved and higher wage levels for mid-career educators to build better career progression in the sector.
Additionally it recommends several measures likely to be welcomed by educators, including paid study leave, a reconsideration of HECS settings for educators and better pathways for First Nations educators.
