Public Sector Updates – North

Launceston General Hospital (LGH)

Ward 6D

The ANMF has lodged a dispute on behalf of members working on Ward 6D at the LGH.  

Members have consistently reported exposure to physical and verbal aggression from patients, creating unacceptable risks to both staff and patient safety. Despite raising this numerous times and several Work Health & Safety (WH&S) reports, the current controls in place are not sufficient to address the risks, and episodes of violence and aggression continue to rise. View the latest update. 

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

The ANMF has been advised that the 2024 ICU benchmarking increase of 2.29 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) has been progressed and will be allocated as follows:  

• 1.5 FTE to recruit a clinical coach (this equates to cover for 1 shift, 7 days per week). 

• 0.79 FTE to be recruited to direct care hours. 

Further, the ANMF has been informed of a proposed change to access nurse staffing:  

• 8 or less patients: 2 access nurses + clinical coach. 

• More than 8 patients: 3 access nurses + clinical coach. 

The Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN) Workforce Standards for Intensive Care Nursing recommend 1 access nurse per 4 patients, with flexibility to adjust in response to patient deterioration, staffing adjustments, and late admissions.
 
Management believes this move will free up more hours for direct care nursing; however, the ANMF understands that concerns around junior skill mix in ICU remain unmitigated, and members are concerned about the loss of the 3rd access nurse, who frequently provides meal relief and support when the other 2 access nurses are required to attend medical emergencies off the ward. Members have raised concerns that removing the 3rd access nurse when there are 8 or fewer patients may impact:  

• Patient safety 

• Staff safety 

• Ability to provide meal/shift relief. 

Allambi Change Proposal

On Wednesday 8 October 2025, the ANMF received a subsequent Change Proposal to supplement the original Change Proposal published Friday 6 June 2025 regarding the decanting of employees from the Allambi site to accommodate the necessary groundwork for the Hospice project to proceed. View the latest update. 

Updates are correct as of 15 October 2025.
Authorised by Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary