Reports from the ANMF of catastrophic overcrowding and dangerously inadequate staffing levels at the Launceston General Hospital Emergency Department are incredibly concerning. Minister Archer must step up.
It’s simply unacceptable to hear on Monday evening there were 41 admitted patients, when there was only safe capacity for 33. Shockingly, another 17 patients were in the waiting room, with some waiting for more than 40 hours.
Nurses in the LGH are doing their best to care for patients. But they just can’t keep up when there aren’t enough staff on shift, and the hospital is overcrowded.
This isn’t a one off. Overcrowding and understaffing is becoming the new normal at the LGH. These conditions are unsafe, not only for patients, but for staff as well. Nurses are physically and emotionally exhausted, and it’s leading to burn out. Is it any wonder that there are currently 35 nursing vacancies?
Nurses have been raising the alarm for more than a year now, but the government has been failing to increase the number of nurses as promised. Minister Archer must step up and ensure safe staffing levels for both patients and healthcare workers by hiring the nurses the LGH needs.
Key to attracting more nurses to roles in our healthcare system is negotiations on the ANMF’s workplace agreement, which ends in June. It’s time for the Minister to start the overdue negotiations and ensure nurses have the pay and conditions they deserve, and which are attractive to prospective hires.
