By Charlene Gatt
NEARLY 40 hospital beds across the West were closed over the weekend as Victorian nurses stepped up their campaign for better pay and conditions.
Thirty-six hospital beds across Western Health’s three hospitals – Sunshine, Western and Williamstown – were shut down at Sunday lunchtime, while a number of category two and three elective surgeries have been postponed.
One in every three hospital beds across the state have been shut down since 7am Saturday to highlight the need for improved nurse/midwife ratios after the State Government revealed plans to replace nurses with health assistants and to replace eight-hour shifts with broken shifts and unlimited four and five hour shifts.
The move would mean the removal of mandated minimum nurse/midwife patient ratios and a reduction in 1758 full-time nursing positions.
Nurses are also seeking the introduction of ratios in day surgery, dialysis, day oncology and stroke beds; more mental health nurses; and an 18.5 per cent pay rise over three years and eight months.
The State Government is currently offering 2.5 per cent a year.
Lisa Fitzpatrick from the Australian Nursing Federation said the industrial action would only stop when nurses and midwives accepted a new offer.
The Government has appealed to Fair Work Australia to end the industrial action. The hearing was held after Star went to print.
