Staffing Challenges Forces Calvary Lenah Valley to Close ED Doors on Weekends

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian Branch (ANMF) is disappointed Calvary Lenah Valley will close its Emergency Department (ED) each weekend due to staff shortages.

Director of Clinical Services, Leah Magliano has told the ANMF the closure is due to medical staff recruitment challenges, and the move is to ensure safety of staff and patients.

ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd said today, “this is a big step Calvary has taken and demonstrates the dire need the health system is in right now. The government should be doing all it can to retain and recruit health staff across all sectors.”

The ED will reduce service delivery according to the following times until further notice:

• From midday on Sunday 27 March 2022; re-opening at 7.30 am on Monday 28 March 2022; and

• Then each week, every Friday from 4.00 pm; re-opening at 7.30 am on the following Monday.

The ANMF understands that Calvary management has carried out consultation with ED staff and a number of options have been provided to those staff who are rostered for weekend shifts. These options are:

• Redeployment to other clinical areas for the rostered weekend shift
• Changing weekend shifts to weekday shifts
• Accessing leave for those affected shifts if preferred.

  A triage nurse will be retained on all shifts to monitor calls that come into the ED and the service reduction will be monitored on an ongoing basis in alignment with recruitment.

“The ANMF has been advised that members are supportive of the approach taken by management to ensure safety and staff are being supported individually with rostering options.

“We will meet with members in the coming days to discuss this matter with them and will continue to support our health staff as they move through this period,” Ms Shepherd said.