25 July 2019
The parliamentary committee tasked with revisiting the recently gazetted regulations underpinning Gayle’s Law is set to reconvene next week.
The Legislative Review Committee is reviewing the regulations, which came into effect on 1 July this year, after the ANMF (SA Branch) discovered a provision (in May) that undermined the level of protection for remote area health care workers intended by the legislation. The provision in question allows for a health care worker to attend a remote area emergency call-out after hours unattended, provided they have made a risk assessment.
In the
ANMF (SA Branch)’s submission to the Committee, we maintained our position that leaving critical safety decisions in the hands of employees, rather than employers, significantly compromises the safety of health care professionals and essentially leaves them in a position where they are forced to choose between their life or a patient’s.
The Committee is expected to have completed its review and report to Parliament in September.