Public Sector Updates – North West

North West Regional Hospital (NWRH)

Operating Suite

The ANMF has been advocating for additional resourcing to assist with the current sustained and unreasonable workloads of our members at the NWRH Operating Suite. The ANMF remain committed to ensuring that our members can conduct their clinical care in a safe working environment with appropriate workloads.

The ANMF, on behalf of members at NWRH Operating Suite has requested that the agreed benchmarking be approved to enable recruitment and reduce workload pressure on hardworking operating suite nurses.

To date, the benchmarking business case has not been approved. As part of the ongoing formal grievance process, the ANMF will now take these workload concerns to the independent umpire, the Tasmanian Industrial Commission (TIC).

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

The ANMF has formally sought on your behalf a progress report for the outstanding actions which Tasmanian Health Service (THS) management committed to implementing. The ANMF understand that of the four commitments only one has been implemented, that is the pre-extubation checklist is being trialled, members report that it gives focus to safety. However, as yet the staff room door does not have a lock and there are no duress alarms in the unit. Once again members have been let down and feel that their safety is not a priority.

Surgical Ward

ANMF members have articulated ongoing staffing and workload issues and endorsed the ANMF raising a Step 1 Grievance. View the latest update.

Emergency Department (ED)

The ANMF met with members from the NWRH ED on Tuesday 19 November 2024. Members resolved that the proposed benchmarked Full Time Equivalent (FTE) increase of 2.67 is not reflective of current workload or concerns experienced by nurses in a regularly bed blocked ED. View the latest update.

Updates are correct as of 8 January 2025.
Authorised by Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary