Public Sector Updates – South

Adult Community Mental Health Service (ACMHS)

Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts

Following escalation of the ACMHS Workload Grievance from a Step One to a Step Two, a specialist panel was held on Friday 25 March 2022.

Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd then wrote to ACMHS Group Director Vicki Polanowski on Thursday 7 April 2022, clarifying the matters raised in discussion at the Step Two specialist panel meeting and asked for a commitment to status quo, as per the Nurses and Midwives (Tasmanian State Service) Award. However, a response received from Vicki Polanowski dated Wednesday 13 April 2022, with the request to maintain status quo, was rejected.

The ANMF met with members on Thursday 21 April 2022 to discuss the above Step Two outcomes and unresolved matters through the Tasmanian Mental Health Reform Project (TMHRP). Members asserted dissatisfaction with the recruitment outcomes to date and are not convinced that a full complement of clinicians will be on board for the full roll out of the Continuing Care Service (CCS). Already, there have been several occasions where a roll out date has been set and then pushed back at the last minute due to recruitment issues. Whilst the ANMF notes the general recruitment issues, this has created instability and uncertainty amongst the exiting teams and Case Managers. Keeping in mind that these will be the same clinicians who form the CCS. The ANMF supports our members in their belief and assertion that more should be done.

To that end, in a follow-up meeting with members in relation to both the Step Two Workload Grievance and consultation of change in relation to the TMHRP, members unanimously endorsed escalation of both, to the Tasmanian Industrial Commission (TIC). This TIC application is now in the final stages of preparation and members will be notified once it has been submitted.

At the aforementioned meeting members also unanimously endorsed and have since commenced taking Industrial Action to demonstrate how strongly they feel.

A follow-up meeting has been arranged for Thursday 19 May 2022 to discuss next steps in the TIC and Industrial Action, inclusive of any changes or additions that members may wish to make.

Mental Health Short Stay Unit (MHSSU)

An ANMF member meeting was held in the Mental Health Short Stay Unit (MHSSU) on Thursday 24 March 2022, with a letter to management sent out on Thursday 31 March 2022. Many issues and concerns were raised, and a large amount of data has been requested as part of managements response. The initial response was requested by Thursday 21 April 2022. A response was received on Friday 6 May 2022. A Newsflash is now being prepared for members and a follow up meeting will be arranged in the coming weeks to discuss any further action.