I must say, I found myself completely stunned and aghast as the information unfolded throughout the evening.

The injustice to those working at the coalface of Tamworth hospital, from nurses right through to porters, left me speechless.

These highly skilled, dedicated healthcare professionals had absolutely no support from any of the powers that be, including Hunter New England Health chief executive Michael DiRienzo, Tamworth hospital deputy director Tim White, Tamworth hospital director of nursing Ricki Bradbery, the hospital board, Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson and Tamworth mayor Col Murray – all absent!

The only exception was deputy mayor Russell Webb, who was there.

Although we have a new state-of-the-art hospital, isn’t it sad we don’t have even close to adequate staff to maintain the day-to-day running of this facility – not with any degree of proficiency, when it comes to caring for the sick and those in need.

I am not speaking badly about any of the hospital nursing staff employed there.

Those people all deserve a sainthood for what is expected of them.

The nursing staff shortages within the maternity unit and emergency departments are beyond a joke.

This is putting the lives of patients, pregnant women, newborn babies and your loved ones in serious jeopardy.

Why, you might ask? Well, as it was made very clear to all of us in attendance, the director of nursing, Ricki Bradbery, and deputy director Tim White of the Tamworth hospital board – I don’t know if Mr DiRienzo is aware, but these people are responsible for pulling up statistics, then cutting them to the bone. They fudge these numbers to run the hospital.

Apparently, cutting essential nursing staff is the only solution they feel is in their professional capacity to achieve this result.

This leaves the hospital workforce permanently short-staffed, overworked and stressed, having to work back-to-back shifts with no meal or toilet breaks – they are running all day to keep up.

It’s not at all surprising they then go home and have nothing to contribute to any quality of family life, because they are emotionally spent.

If you are exhausted and stressed, would it not be the perfect recipe for life-threatening mistakes to be made on the job?

Who do you think would be held responsible for these mistakes?

Not the hospital’s deputy director, the nursing director or the board. 

No. It would be the nurse on duty.

This would invariably leave the nurse wide open, vulnerable and rendered jobless and unemployable within the healthcare profession.

Again – no support from the powers that be. How is this fair or responsible?

The maternity unit has been short six full-time staff for the past two years.

The “golden triangle” – or the powers that be – pull up their fudged statistics, maintaining maternity is fully staffed by including staff on maternity leave, long-service leave and sick leave, to be present and working.

Insane, you think? Well, it gets better.

When the midwives are seriously desperate for help, those in authority will call in ENs and RNs to help out in maternity.

This is highly dangerous. EN and RN staff are not qualified to perform these specialised duties.

How does the “golden triangle” get away with this intolerable behaviour?

Would you want your wife, daughter or loved one giving birth under these third-world conditions?

So much can go so wrong within the blink of an eye with childbirth and pregnancy. 

It is way past time somebody within the hierarchy of the Tamworth hospital board of directors was held accountable for this debacle.

I feel heads need to roll for this huge injustice to the nursing staff and the population they are charged with taking care of.

If you see the petition out and about regarding these staffing issues, I would implore you, for the sake of all concerned, to please sign it. 

With enough signatures, the petition can be tabled before Parliament, with an aim of a satisfactory and positive outcome.

Our nursing staff are not asking for the world.

All they need are fair and equitable working conditions that will keep you safe and well at the end of the day.

Carole Clanfield

Manilla