MOUNT Gambier Hospital is again embroiled in controversy over a shortage of senior doctors and nurses with claims emerging the situation is “worse” than in the lead-up to last year’s sweeping review.
Whistle-blowers at the hospital contacted The Border Watch this week over the worsening conditions, claiming staff have lost confidence in management.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation – which has been called in by its members to intervene – will today meet with nursing staff at the facility.
This follows fresh claims staff are “exhausted”and nurses are being pressured to agree to “double shifts”, which are impacting on patient care.
Hospital staff – who want to remain anonymous fearing they will lose their jobs – have claimed morale among the workforce had hit “rock bottom”.
Whistle-blowers have also claimed senior doctors were turning away from taking up permanent positions because of ongoing problems and the newly appointed emergency department senior consultant was a fly-in doctor who only worked two days a week.
Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell – who played a key role in pressuring for last year’s review – called for Country Health SA to address the ongoing workforce issues.
“Country Health SA needs to come clean to the South East community what changes have been made since the review,” Mr Bell said yesterday.
“The hospital was allocated $540,000 each year following the review.
“Has this money flowed through?
“If it hasn’t, then it is not good enough.”
He revealed families of nurses had been streaming into his office about the issues, in particular pressure to perform double shifts.
“Nurses are too afraid to come in themselves fearing they will lose their jobs,” Mr Bell explained.
He expressed disappointment the hospital continued to be embroiled in workforce issues given it was nearly 12 months since the review was undertaken.
Mr Bell said the continual negativity surrounding the hospital was damaging for the facility and staff.
He said the hospital had a hard working and dedicated workforce that deserved better working conditions.
Nursing federation executive officer Elizabeth Dabars said today’s meeting would be an opportunity to hear first hand the problems facing staff.
She said the union had already identified through a review the facility needed at least 10 more nurses each week.
But she said Country Health SA had refused to budge on the issue, claiming additional nurses were not needed.
Ms Dabars said today’s meeting would also canvass how the federation would deal with this issue moving forward.
