Nurses alarmed at cuts
GOLD COAST nurses are worried for their jobs as some private hospitals threaten shutdowns and feel the pinch from elective surgery cuts.
Staff tell the Bulletin they have been pushed to take leave and face reduced hours after government bans on non-urgent elective surgery to make room for coronavirus patients.
Private hospital providers are locked in negotiations with authorities over how the impending glut of coronavirus patients will be paid for and which activities will be covered.
Staff at Ramsay Health say they have been asked to take holidays after closure of three John Flynn Hospital wards.
The operator also owns Pindara Private Hospital and The Southport Private Hospital.
“Supposedly we need every health professional and every bed we have got. They are calling for retired health care professionals to put their hand up, come in and give a hand,” one private nurse said. “But at privates they are encouraging nurses to take holidays. Rumour is there will be redundancy.”
Gold Coast’s Healthe Care put dozens of workers on notice with threat of a shutdown if they didn’t take leave or long-service leave at half pay, according to Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union.
Healthe Care, with six facilities statewide including Currumbin Clinic and Robina Private Hospital, made the announcement to staff on Friday.
Queensland Nurses Union Secretary Beth Mohle said: “The letters suggested members would not be paid unless they took voluntarily leave, greatly reducing their leave entitlements.”
The union claims letters from Healthe Care also suggested work at some sites would stop for four weeks but did not contain detail of whether sites would close or what would happen to patients if the four-week work stoppages went ahead.
“The QNMU is extremely concerned and dismayed by Healthe Care’s action given the context of an international health emergency and has called for immediate clarification.”
A Ramsay Health Care spokesman said its goal was to ensure staffing in hospitals was maintained, and able to assist with coronavirus impacts.
“We are aware other private hospital groups have stood down staff. We are doing everything we can to keep our workforce of more than 2500 skilled and dedicated people.”
Gold Coast Private Hospital’s Jim Cooper said: “We are doing everything we can to keep all our nursing staff employed and available to support the COVID-19 response, at Gold Coast Private Hospital and the other 42 Healthscope hospitals.
“We are in discussions with Federal and State governments on measures that will support private hospitals to adjust to the suspension of elective surgery, ensuring they remain available to play a role.”