Public sector updates: northern region - Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation (Tasmanian Branch)

PUBLIC SECTOR
Northern News

Launceston General Hospital

Emergency Department

The Launceston General Hospital Emergency Department member survey is now closed. The majority of members completed the survey providing an excellent response rate. We are now in the process of collating the data and will be meeting with members shortly to discuss a plan for resolution of workload concerns.

Benchmarking

3R, 5A and Intensive Care Unit are all due to be benchmarked in the later half of August 2020. The ANMF will be attending benchmarking meetings on behalf of members. Following these meetings, we will schedule meetings in each ward area to discuss the benchmarked figures and seek feedback from members.

Holman Clinic

On 10 August 2020, the ANMF wrote to Tasmanian Health Service management to request that a Step 2 specialist panel be established in relation to the Workload Grievance that has been outstanding since November 2019. The matter of concern raised by the ANMF is that the identified increase in FTE from the August 2019 benchmarking is not being implemented as permanent FTE.

Instead THS are seeking to continue another 6-month fixed term arrangement. This is an unsatisfactory situation due to the imbalance created with skill mix with the impending retirement of senior staff. Further there is the potential for a loss of newly upskilled nurses due to the fixed term period not being able to be extended for a third time. Further updates to follow.

Beaconsfield District Health Service

On Friday 7 August 2020, the ANMF met with members at Beaconsfield District Health Service (BDHS). Members detailed workload concerns relating to roster vacancies, working short, no after hours concierge service to manage COVID-19 screening of visitors and COVID-19 related management protocols. The ANMF met with Tasmanian Health Service management to discuss the solution of recruiting to the identified increase in FTE via the proposed District Hospital Staffing Model. Unfortunately this option was unable to be progressed as a result of Tasmanian Health Service executive not approving the business case for the model. The ANMF is now considering the options not only for BDHS but for all of the primary health sites across the state. In the interim we will proceed with developing workload forms for members to fill out in order to document the drivers of workload. A follow up meeting will be scheduled with members shortly.

Updates correct as at 20 August 2020.
Authorised by Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary

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