Public Sector Updates – North West

Mersey Community Hospital (MCH)

The ANMF was notified that the MCH was at Critical Capacity on Monday 1 September 2025. Staff across the region were advised they may be redeployed to assist, and all education and non-essential meetings were to be cancelled.

Despite this, MCH continues to operate the Medical Ward with 33 open beds, while only 30 are funded. This unfunded bed pressure has been a longstanding issue, with staffing gaps regularly filled through overtime and additional shifts. The ANMF has been advised a proposal has been put to the chief executive for approval to fund the ward to 33 beds. The ANMF will continue to advocate for this to progress and will discuss with members how they would like to pursue this, including possible industrial action.

At the same time, ED staffing continues to fall short of the agreed 2023–24 benchmarked levels, which identified the need for a 7.77 FTE increase. This has not yet been implemented, leaving the ED staffed below minimum safe staffing levels. The ANMF will be escalating this to the Tasmanian Industrial Commission (TIC) for resolution.

Emergency Department (ED)

The ANMF met with members of the Mersey Community Hospital (MCH) Emergency Department (ED) on Thursday 14 August 2025. During this meeting, members endorsed the ANMF to lodge a Step 1 Nursing Hours per Patient Day (NHpPD) Workload Grievance under the Nurses and Midwives (Tasmanian State Service) Interim Agreement 2013. View the latest update.

Theatre and Day Surgery Unit

The ANMF writes to update members working in the Theatre and Day Surgery Unit (DSU) at the MCH. At a recent member meeting, members endorsed the ANMF to raise a Nursing Hours per Patient Day (NHpPD) Step 1 Workload Grievance under the Nurses and Midwives (Tasmanian State Service) Interim Agreement 2013. View the latest update.

Medical Procedures Day Unit Grievance

As part of the grievance process, Hospitals North committed to re-benchmarking the unit, with the last benchmarking completed in 2022. This was to occur within four weeks; however, six weeks have now passed with no update provided. The ANMF has followed up and requested an update on this process and will continue to advocate for this benchmarking to take place.

Updates are correct as of 3 September 2025.
Authorised by Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary

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