TENSIONS between nurses and management at Tamworth hospital seem set to continue after Hunter New England Health (HNEH) failed to guarantee it would act on a recommendation from the Industrial Relations Commission over staffing levels.
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Representatives of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) and the local health district spent a full day before the commission on Thursday to thrash out workload issues, after two disputes were filed in July regarding staffing in the hospital’s new emergency and maternity departments.
The commission, which undertook an inspection of Tamworth hospital on July 29 in preparation for this week’s hearing, subsequently recommended management provide an additional 10 nursing hours on night shift in the emergency department on a trial basis for two months from next Monday.
But, a statement from HNEH yesterday afternoon gave no such guarantees.
Chief executive Michael DiRienzo said they believed the hospital’s emergency and maternity departments were appropriately staffed in accordance with the award and contemporary care models.
“We will continue to consult with the association on staffing ... both directly and through the local Reasonable Workloads Committee,” he said. “HNEH will continue to participate in processes governed by the Industrial Relations Commission as required.”
Issues relating to safe staffing and isolation within the hospital’s new maternity unit were also canvassed before the commission on Thursday, but were unable to be resolved.
Judith Kiejda, the assistant general secretary of the NSWNMA, said during last month’s hearing, HNEH management had acknowledged a staffing shortfall and agreed to release 4.82 full-time equivalent midwifery positions from the special care nursery back into the maternity unit.
But, on Thursday she said health district representatives refused to provide any new interim measures to help address maternity’s ongoing issues.
In relation to emergency, Ms Kiejda said it was “abhorrent” that as late as yesterday afternoon, management had failed to accept the commission’s recommendation on staffing and prepare an amended roster to accommodate the additional nursing hours.
An extraordinary meeting of members will be held next week.