THE state’s influential nurses union is continuing to pursue legal avenues to act as a warning to Mount Gambier Hospital management against breaching legally binding nursing staff ratios.
The Australian Nursing Midwifery Federation SA is seeking a resolution from Country Health SA through the SA Industrial Relations Commission.
While Mount Gambier Hospital has now increased nursing staff levels to minimum requirements across the hospital’s footprint, the union has warned it will seek penalties if a resolution is not brokered.
Details of the matter remain confidential between both parties.
The union yesterday revealed the steps taken by the federation were “extremely rare” and demonstrated the “magnitude” of the former staffing breaches.
Federation chief executive officer Elizabeth Dabars said the union was pushing ahead with the matter to act as a future “deterrent”.
While nursing numbers were now “up to par” in both the emergency department and the medical wards, she said the federation would continue the process to ensure there was a safeguard in place for the community.
“We are now seeking a resolution and we expect a decision over the next couple of weeks,” Ms Dabars revealed.
But she warned they would take the matter to the Industrial Relations Court if that failed, which could include a financial penalty.
She said it appeared hospital management was “rationalising” staff to save costs in the medical wards, which was “completely inappropriate”.
“We have taken this action after considerable thought and frustration – there was significant under-staffing of nurses,” Ms Dabars said.
She said the response at the time from health authorities was “gob smacking” considering there was under-staffing on several shifts per day during the prolonged breach period.
The union repeatedly raised these issues with Country Health SA and hospital management over a six-month period, but Ms Dabars claimed “absolutely no action” was taken.
She said the community deserved “clear and proper” nursing staff levels at Mount Gambier Hospital.
“Country Health SA cannot hide this issue within the wards at the hospital – it is not fair on the staff or the community.”
Ms Dabars said it was inappropriate to press down on clinicians because of patient safety issues.
“It would be the clinicians who would have to front a coroner’s inquiry,” she argued.
The Border Watch contacted Country Health SA for comment.
