ANMF Media Release: Code Yellow at LGH
7 August 2024
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian Branch (ANMF) invites the Tasmanian media to the activation of Code Yellow at 10.30am, Wednesday, August 7 at the Launceston General Hospital.
ANMF Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd said the Federation will be supporting members at the LGH in taking Industrial Action in the form of a Code Yellow.
“This action will see ANMF members in the LGH ED activate a Code Yellow through to the Minister for Health and via the ANMF who will issue a public alert on behalf of members to the media,” Ms Shepherd said.
“This will occur when the following occurs:
- Nurse Staffing: Less than 22 on a morning shift, 25 on an afternoon shift, 21 on a night shift, no capacity for oncall, immediate backfilling and or Overtime and Double shifts being used to fill staffing deficits.
- Ramped Pts: 2 or more patients, ramped for greater than 30 minutes.
- Corridor Pts: Where patients are offloaded to a corridor or non-clinical space without capacity to provide care (Excluding the 3 Ambulance offload spaces)
- Waiting Room Pts: More than 15 patients in the waiting room.
- Total ED Pts: 45 patients or greater are on the screen
- 1:1 Ratio Pts: 2 or more patients requiring a 1:1 ratio (inclusive of Psychiatric, Paediatric ICU and NCCU patients), ANUM informed and was unable to allocate the 1:1 ratio.
- Admission/Admitted Pts; 4 or more patients waiting for admission, or an admitted patient has been waiting more than 12 hours, or an ICU/NCCU/MHS is patient waiting for admission
WHAT: LGH Code Yellow
WHERE: Launceston General Hospital Emergency Department Entrance, 274-280 Charles St, Launceston
WHEN: 10.30am, Wednesday, August 7
Special Note: ANMF Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd and members will be available for media interview.
“It is unfortunate that LGH ED members have had to take this action when their calls for additional resources to support the additional workload of the transfer of care procedure have been ignored,” Ms Shepherd said.
“The ANMF has lobbied the Tasmanian Government, the Department of Health and even raised members’ concerns in the Tasmanian Industrial Commission regarding the eventuality that has now transpired.
“The increase in transfer of care of patients has meant an increase of patients in the waiting room and the corridors without an increase in staffing.
“This may mean a faster transfer into the ED – it has not led to quicker treatment or care.”
Ms Shepherd said the ANMF and members maintain that access and flow across the entire health system is what is needed to support quicker access to care in Tasmania’s hospitals.
“Unfortunately, what has occurred is an increase in patients in the ED with staff being allocated unreasonable patient loads where quality care delivery is at times impossible.
“If improvements to access and flow across our hospitals is desired then change must be supported and resourced accordingly, not just adding to exhausted and burnt-out nurses and midwives’ workloads.”
Ms Shepherd said the Premier stated with the introduction of the transfer of care procedure that ‘if Nurses needed additional resources to make it work, then they would be given what they need’.
“This was reiterated by Minister Guy Barnett at a Transfer of Care Roundtable.
“Yet, despite one or two re-purposed roles at the RHH, no additional resources have been forthcoming, despite members calling for these for well over 18 months.”
Ms Shepherd said the ANMF will continue to support members in the industrial action until the corridoring at the LGH ED is addressed.
“We need – the population of the Greater North needs – appropriate resources to address the immediate problem and access and flow and will escalate members’ action if these resources are not immediately agreed to and implemented.”
-End-
Media contact:
Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary
Mobile: 0400 884 021
Email: Emily.Shepherd@anmftas.org.au