Public Sector Updates – South

Royal Hobart Hospital

Maternity Unit (K7)

The ANMF attended a Step 2 Grievance meeting with the Tasmanian Health Service (THS) on 21 April, to further discussions regarding several ongoing workload and staffing concerns. These discussions were invaluably helped by the involvement of three ANMF midwifery members who attended in order to explain the real terms and real time clinical implications of the issues at hand. As a result of this meeting several actions were generated which will hopefully serve to address the practice of recovering Caesarean births on the unit, a dated timeline against which re-benchmarking can/should be undertaken – it is envisaged that this process will inherently address staffing issues in the Pregnancy Assessment Centre (PAC) and consideration of a segregated allocation model (i.e. ante/post-natal in West and the Birthing Suites in West). A second Step 2 meeting will be scheduled in due course for feedback on any/all of these ventures and ANMF will seek to arrange a member meeting as soon as practicable after this point in time to advise members directly of the outcomes.

Paediatrics/Adolescents (K6)

The ANMF conducted a meeting with members in the Paediatrics/Adolescent Unit on 19 April, to review the response to Step 1 Grievance letter received from THS management, as well as seek resolutions on an ensuing course of action. A resolution was passed to advance outstanding concerns to a Step 2 Grievance Specialist Panel. A letter to this effect has been drafted and will be sent to THS management as soon as practicable – members are to be advised of the date/time of the first meeting via separate email once scheduled.

Department Critical Care Medicine (DCCM)

The ANMF distributed the THS response to Step 1 Grievance letter to all members working in Department of Critical Care Medicine on 13 April. The ANMF met with Workplace Representatives and senior staff to take initial feedback on this letter and anticipate scheduling of meeting for all members within two weeks, more information will be emailed shortly.

General Surgical Unit (K9W)

The ANMF are pleased to report that by virtue of the ongoing Tasmanian Industrial Commission (TIC) – escalated workload and staffing Grievance in K9W, the THS have agreed in the first instance to re-benchmark the unit to a 100% occupancy level (as contrasted to the current 97% level). Whilst this may not sound like enough, it will equate to an additional 0.95 beds for the purpose of Nursing Hours per Patient Day (NHpPD) and will go a long way to underpinning the sixth night shift nurse which has been introduced as an interim staffing solution on an indefinite basis. Additionally, the ANMF are awaiting word from THS (as part of a TIC report-back due 30 April) on a plan to assess the additional physical workload associated with the expanded K-Block footprint and how this can/should be mitigated by way of additional staffing. These details will be provided to members via email.

Updates correct as at 29 April 2021.
Authorised by Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary