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

ASSISTANCE & SUPPORT

Member Support Team: The ANMF Tasmanian Branch is 8000 plus members strong! Supporting nurses, midwives, and care workers as the only union in Tasmania employing nurses and care workers to represent members. This is why our Organisers and Member Support Team are uniquely positioned to understand your experiences, represent you in your workplace, and offer industrial advice that’s relevant to you. Please contact our Member Support Team if you need workplace support, would like to discuss any matters or raise a concern. Alternatively, you can send an email outlining your concerns to our team - membersupport@anmftas.org.au. Email is the preferred and fastest way of contacting the team, however if your matter is urgent, please phone (03) 6223 6777 or 1800 001 241 if you are outside of Hobart.

Member Support Team

Nurse and Midwife Support If you are seeking confidential support and advice, members have access to 24/7 phone support from Nurse and Midwife Support.

Nurse and Midwife Support

More latests news

Public Sector Enterprise Agreement

[siteorigin_widget class="Tribe_Image_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget]Update: Walkarounds at Hospitals 14 November 2018 Walkarounds have been undertaken by ANMF Organiser, Noni Morse and Mandy Clark, Member Engagement Officer on 29 October 2018 at the Mersey Community Hospital (MCH) and on 31 October 2018 at the [...]

Central Coast Community Nursing

[siteorigin_widget class="Tribe_Image_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget]Update: Joint Consultative Committee Meetings 14 November 2018 ANMF continues to attend the Community Health Nursing and Home Care Services Integration Joint Consultative Committee meetings. The Tasmanian Health Service (THS) has agreed to delay the transition of the Community [...]

North West Child Health and Parenting Service (CHAPS)

[siteorigin_widget class="Tribe_Image_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget]Update: Meeting re-scheduled 14 November 2018 The inaugural meeting of the Workload Management Working Group has been re-scheduled to Thursday 6 December 2018. Members met on Monday 29 October 2018 to discuss concerns about the Programme Support Structure and [...]