Qld Health reveals how many Gympie nurses refused Covid vaccine

The number of Gympie Hospital employees who have refused to comply with the state’s controversial vaccination mandate can be revealed as the city’s MP and the state’s Health Minister butt heads over the impact on services.

The State Government has denied there is any drop in service at Gympie Hospital despite confirmation 17 unvaccinated nurses have taken leave since the November 1 cut-off.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath revealed the figures Thursday following a question on notice from Gympie MP Tony Perrett but denied there had been a drop in services due to the State’s health mandate.

“Staff absences are replaced with casual, temporary, and part-time employees accepting more shifts,” Ms D’Ath said.

Those who had stepped away had done so using their leave entitlements, she explained.

“No employees or student nurses have been laid off, forced on leave, or redirected to alternate duties as a result of the mandatory vaccination requirements for staff.”

More than five per cent of the Sunshine Coast Health and Hospital Service’s 8702 employees had failed to comply by the cut-off date, Queensland Health data showed on November 2.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath denied the loss of staff impacted services, saying the jobs were being filled by casual, temporary and part-time staff. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

From the start of this month Queensland Health staff who were not fully vaccinated were barred from working in a public hospital.

Mr Perrett disputed Ms D’Ath’s claim the reduction in Gympie Hospital staff had not impacted services.

“This is a crisis,” Mr Perrett said.

“That’s 17 staff you can no longer rely on.”

The loss of staff, Mr Perrett said, came on the heels of the much publicised closure of children’s ward, ramping problems and a report revealing the hospital was no longer able to provide the level of service required of the community.

“I am hearing anecdotally that staff are run off their feet, stressed, and overworked,” Mr Perrett said.

Gympie MP Tony Perrett said the loss of staff followed on the heels of a number of ongoing problems at the hospital, with staff feeling “stressed” and “overworked”. Picture: Shane Zahner

“It has been reported directly to me about a ‘toxic culture’, ‘horrendous workplace bullying’ and ‘discriminatory behaviour’.

“I am receiving almost daily reports from Queensland Health staff.

“There’s a lack of transparency, a culture of secrecy and cover ups and stalling.

“On Monday I was advised that SCUH predicts that 30 per cent of the staff will be in stress … sick … (or) fatigue leave by March 2022.

“I was told that staff are ‘concerned with the lack of equipment, and patient care, given the significant staff deficits resulting in elective surgeries to be postponed this month, even with no current Covid in our community’.”