Nurses fuming over WCH jobs cut plan
Nurses are fuming about a plan to send new mums home sooner, and to cut 85 staff at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide.
An independent review has found it is an easy way to save millions of dollars by making the hospital more efficient.
It found the WCH was 20 per cent less efficient that others like it interstate.
It recommends cutting 85 full time positions, axing 30 beds and slashing hospital stays, including sending new mums home sooner.
“The interstate experience is that the length of stay for normal deliveries is around 2.7 days – we are around 3.3 days,” SA Health chief executive officer David Swan said.
SA Health said it is simple maths to save $19.2 million.
“If people don’t stay in hospital as long as they currently do... we no longer need the number of staff that we have,” Mr Swan said.
The Nursing Federation said it cannot understand how 85 jobs could be axed when nurses have to do overtime and double shifts to cope with staff shortages.
It said demand is increasing, and cutting jobs will affect patient care and nurse safety.
“We’re very concerned that they’re just talking about reducing staff by whatever means,” Elizabeth Dabars from the Nursing Federation said.
The State Opposition is also critical, especially given the Government is considering closing paediatrics at Modbury Hospital.
“If we are elected next year, we’ll make sure the paediatrics ward remains open at Modbury Hospital,” Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said.
The public is being given six weeks to have its say on the proposed changes at the WCH.
