17 June 2020
Reports that health officials plan to axe more staff despite the continuing state of pandemic emergency have been met with dismay by the ANMF (SA Branch).
According to The Advertiser, the latest Voluntary Separation Packages (VSPs) rounds are in Department for Health and Wellbeing agencies including the Office for Ageing Well, despite record reports of elder abuse and the Office being responsible for a campaign launched this week focusing on respect for Indigenous Elders.
The newspaper reports the new round will result in 24 jobs going across other areas including the safety and quality unit, amid an increase in Code Black attacks on staff, and Health Infrastructure.
The ANMF (SA Branch) earlier this month learnt of plans to restart VSPs at the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) – part of a cost-cutting exercise implemented last year across the SA health system – to meet the end-of-financial-year deadline.
The VSPs, inviting staff to put up their hands for redundancy payouts, were put on hold once the coronavirus pandemic emergency was declared. In total 395 staff applied, about 150 of them nurses, with 377 packages still to be taken.
In February The Advertiser revealed cutbacks including voluntary separation offers at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital led to 215 WCH doctors signing a letter warning its services were at the “point of collapse”.
“It is deeply regrettable the Government is committed to cost-cutting at a time of uncertainty and a time when the health system remains in a state of emergency,’’ said ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj. Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM.
ANMF (SA Branch) is seeking a formal commitment that the plans to recommence VSPs will be placed on hold until the pandemic emergency is no longer in place.