Southern Cross Care concede to flawed consultation – while Enrolled Nurses remain in limbo

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) Tasmanian Branch attended the subsequent Fair Work Commission Conciliation meeting on Thursday 12 January 2023 regarding Southern Cross Care Tasmania’s (SCCT) proposed Household Model of Care, which will see Enrolled Nurses across all sites made redundant.

SCCT management conceded at the Conciliation conference that their consultation process was flawed and based on the amount of feedback that they will now be recommencing this process.

‘Whilst this concession validates members concerns, it does not ameliorate the distress and concern that the Enrolled Nurses at every Southern Cross Facility around the State is currently experiencing, and the anticipation that they will still be made redundant after another round of consultation’ said ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary, Emily Shepherd.

SCCT noted that they had identified more alignment between the Enrolled Nurse role and a non- nursing, wellness coordinator role, opening more positions for re-deployment. SCCT also noted that they will be increasing the Registered Nurse (RN) hours across all facilities.

‘Upon questioning by ANMF officials, SCCT conceded that the same number of positions were still available for redeployment, despite their alignment, and that they were only increasing Registered Nurse minutes to meet the upcoming legislative aged care reforms, of 200 care minutes by October 2023’

Southern Cross Care indicated that they would delay any final decision on the proposal until Monday 27 February 2023, and there would be a period of transition following this.

‘If SCCT actually took on board the feedback from staff, residents and families as well as the Federal Health Minister that the removal of Enrolled Nurses from SCCT is not supported, then rather than run a further consultation process they would scrap the proposal entirely and focus on supporting a nursing and care workforce that is haemorrhaging at a rapid rate due to not wanting to work for an aged care employer who doesn’t value its staff and doesn’t understand that it’s nurses and care workers who keep residents safe.’

This is just another delay by SCCT in order to meet their industrial requirements, however, the ANMF will participate as the SCCT employee’s representative and take further legal steps if required.