Public Sector Updates – South

Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH)

Cardiac Cath Lab

The ANMF has been made aware of an ongoing dispute/concern regarding the practice of on call within the Cardiac Cath Lab service and how this translates to overtime pay rates and rest hours. The ANMF met with members on Wednesday 8 December 2021 to discuss the lived experiences of staff and develop a unified position as a basis for ongoing discussions with management. The ANMF will seek to convene with Tasmanian Health Service (THS) management to progress discussions and mutually beneficial outcomes.

Outpatient Oncology

The ANMF, in the presence of members, attended a Step Two Grievance update meeting Monday 6 December 2021. Updates received from THS Management included the progression of a business case for one full time equivalent (FTE) Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) position predominantly oriented towards practical, on-hand education for new nurses on the unit, ongoing planning for integration of the Peter Mac workload monitoring computer, real time workloads within the unit, and the need for senior nursing management to advocate internally to Medical colleagues for the return of an on-site, immediately available medical practitioner within ward 8A. This forum is expected to reconvene late January 2022 for a further update on the progression of these additional resources.

Acute Older Persons Unit (AOPU)

The ANMF conducted a member meeting in the RHH Acute Older Persons Unit (AOPU) on Monday 6 December 2021 to discuss recent work, health, and safety experiences within the ward. This meeting led to robust conversations alluding to lingering effects of nursing conditions in recent months that can/will inevitably arise again in the future. The ANMF has committed to raise these concerns with senior management in the first instance and will seek to re-convene with members upon receiving feedback.

Emergency Department (ED)

The ANMF recently released an email to members outlining THS management feedback to identified concerns/queries raised at the member meeting on Thursday 11 November 2021. As a follow-up, the ANMF has contacted management once again to raise ongoing and significant questions regarding current staffing profiles and associated rostering with the re-opening of state borders on Wednesday 15 December 2021. Once a response to this contact has been received, it will be forwarded to members via an email.

Updates correct as at 9 December 2021.
Authorised by Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary