20 March 2019

ANMF continue to attend weekly workload taskforce meetings for Department of Psychiatry (DoP). The last meeting being held 19 March. At this meeting the following action items were agreed:

Mental Health Services will:

• Advise on start date of the third agency nurse and 2 new additional staff  to DoP.
• Continue to progress the business case for additional clinical coaches.
• Provide a draft protocol for the management of situations where the DoP unit is working 2 staff down across the unit. Noting that  ANMF and HACSU members urgently requested action on this scenario as it is currently considered unsafe staffing and members believe they have a right to refuse to take patients in situations of unsafe staffing.
• Ensure a list of casual staff from across mental health services, who would make themselves available to cover DoP shifts as required. List to be provided to RHH roster office to assist with afterhours cover.
• Provide DoP nursing staff with an update on current actions arising to date to manage wok loads.
• Provide feedback on the PEN protocol implementation at the next meeting.

Provide data, for the following:

• Establishment numbers
• Roster shortfall numbers
• SLRS data and trend
• Shifts working short numbers
• True Vacancy numbers
• Engage a business manager to assess the opportunity to develop a permanent pool of leave

ANMF action include write an email in response to meeting and provide advice on clinical coach grading and other clinical coach progress available.