THE quality of the care provided to 60 residents at Millicent’s Sheoak Lodge aged care facility has not been compromised by the use of contractors who have been engaged after work bans were introduced by support staff.
Country Health SA management has provided the assurance in response to queries raised by The South Eastern Times about the use of contractors.
Sheoak Lodge has been a part of Millicent and District Hospital since 1995 and its executive officer and director of nursing Michelle de Wit has issued the statement.
Ms De Wit said there had been no impact on patient care as a result of the industrial action by the United Voice union.
“A local company has been contracted to provide assistance with specific duties in our facilities, ensuring we continue to provide a high level of care and safe environment for our patients,” Ms De Wit said.
“Most of the temporarily contracted workers have police checks.
“A small number of the contracted workers who have provided statutory declarations while awaiting processing of their police checks are supervised at all times and do not undertake resident care duties.
“The Millicent and District Hospital and health service United Voice union members have had work bans in place since August 30.
“These work bans are as a result of enterprise agreement negotiations and are being implemented in numerous locations across South Australia.”
United Voice members at Millicent hospital also took industrial action in 2014 and 2015.
At the height of the last dispute around two years ago, placard-waving and chanting union members protested on the footpath outside Millicent hospital.
Their union has not responded directly to The South Eastern Times about the latest work bans in Millicent.
Enterprise bargaining negotiations between United Voice members and the State Government have been ongoing since February.
The work bans include rolling stoppages across the state and have been undertaken by orderlies, patient services attendants, kitchen workers, hospital cleaners, disability and aged carers and schools and national parks grounds and maintenance staff.
United Voice branch secretary David Di Troia said members’ critical issues are a commitment to no new privatisation or outsourcing in the new enterprise bargaining agreement, a fair wage increase and job security so that ongoing staff shortages can be addressed.
Mr Di Troia said United Voice members are concerned the State Government is failing to address several issues that directly impact on services to South Australians.
“The State Government has failed to commit to no further outsourcing or to address the crisis of staff shortages in the public sector,” he said.
“Failing to address these critical issues will have grave impacts on public health services and our members’ jobs.
“United Voice members are staying strong and standing together to achieve jobs they can count on.”
