Public Sector Updates – South

Statewide Mental Health Services (SMHS) – Roy Fagan Centre

The ANMF has written to SMHS senior management requesting some minor additions to its proposed interim safe-staffing plans (outlined in their 12 November 2021 letter which was in turn sent out to members via an email on Friday 26 November 2021). A response was requested by COB Wednesday 22 December 2021. This will be distributed to members, after the break, for your consideration.

A meeting was also held with SMHS management Wednesday 15 December 2021 for the specific purpose of assessing current 12-hour shift arrangements and a potential Workplace Flexibility Agreement (WFA) to better facilitate handover practices, ensure adequate staff fatigues management, and generally overhaul the current structure which is at best ‘clunky’. This meeting was very productive with SMHS committing to review all materials internally before advising of a final position by Thursday 27 January 2022.

Statewide Mental Health Service (SMHS) – Wilfred Lopes Centre

The ANMF conducted a member meeting on site at the Wilfred Lopes Centre on Friday 17 December 2021. This meeting served to generate discussion and identified several points for the consideration of management. As such, the ANMF has committed to writing on these topics and will distribute any response from SMHS via an email once received.

Statewide Mental Health Services (SMHS) – Adult Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS)

The ANMF conducted a member meeting on Tuesday 14 December 2021 with approximately 20 ACMHS staff from varying professions/disciplines gathered to debate current workload and staffing arrangements. This meeting served well to discuss the issues of staffing vacancy and difficulties in thoroughly tending to patient care/referrals, with members submitting their strong dissatisfaction with current arrangements for the service. The ANMF has committed to writing to SMHS senior management on these points and will endeavour to hold a subsequent member meeting early in 2022 to discuss any response that might be received.