NSW public hospital nurses vote whether to strike on February 15

Overwhelmed nurses fed up with the government ignoring their pleas for more staff and ‘compromising’ patient care could strike for 24 hours.

NSW nurses including those in the ICU at Westmead Hospital and RPA could strike as early as Tuesday February 15 after their pleas for the State Government to hire more staff have not been met and continue to plague the exhausted workforce.

Frustrated members from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association branches are meeting on Monday and Tuesday to vote whether they will take industrial action, with the result expected on Wednesday or Thursday.

If most branches vote in favour, a statewide strike will be held the day before NSW parliament resumes.

RPA staff are contemplating a long strike — 24 hours — while others such as Westmead are voting whether to take action for 12 hours, when only skeleton staff would man the wards of the hospitals.

The association’s NSW general secretary Brett Holmes said the pandemic had exposed the public hospitals’ fragile system and nurses were “beyond breaking point”.

Timothy Blofield (front) and NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association with nurses at Westmead Hospital in December.

They want NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to immediately implement more staff and commit to a “fair pay rise’’ above 2.5 per cent to recognise the workload and “pay loss suffered in 2020”.

“We don’t recommend industrial action lightly, especially when a pandemic is still under way, but the status quo can’t continue and we can’t return to pre-Covid-19 staffing levels when we were already in crisis,’’ Mr Holmes said.

“If the Premier wants a well-staffed, well trained and resilient nursing and midwifery workforce in the public health system, then he must act now and implement shift by shift ratios across NSW.’’

Nurses at Westmead have criticised Mr Perrottet for describing the hospital system as strong.

Westmead ICU nurse Wing Besilos implored Mr Perrottet to inspect the unit’s wards and talk to staff.

“All I can say is that even now we have nurses crying after our shift because it’s too overwhelming,’’ she said.

“You have a dying patient with no help. I just get very angry he keeps on saying the hospitals are strong. It’s not. We need nurses statewide, not just Westmead.

RPA nurses could strike for 24 hours next week. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

“Westmead ICU is not a unique place, it’s everywhere in ICU in Australian hospitals, it’s short staffing in regional areas. Go to Westmead, see the Covid ward and how Covid nurses are under stress.’’

Westmead has 24 ICU beds and nurses are calling for one nurse per patient. That would equate to six more nurses in that unit.

Despite the number of Covid patients and ICU admission rates falling (as of Monday there are 2099 Covid cases admitted, including 139 people in intensive care, 60 of whom require ventilation), other non-Covid related cases continue to strain nurses.

The pandemic didn’t create the shortages. It did create more stress,’’ Ms Besilos said.

The nurse also called for Mr Perrottet and Health Minister Brad Hazzard to address “measly’’ salary increases.

“These two people need to step up to the plate and do their work because nurses are struggling,’’ she said.

Westmead Hospital ICU nurse Wing Besilos wants the Premier and Health Minister to visit the facility where nurses are overwhelmed.

“Management can’t do anything unless these two people change everything.

“It’s up to the Premier and the Minister of Health of what’s happening in hospitals of NSW.’’

The union’s Westmead branch secretary Tim Blofield said the expansion of the hospital’s ICU just before Covid meant more beds but not extra nurses to match.

A Western Sydney Local Health District spokeswoman said non-ICU nurses and “experienced allied health staff” were brought in to support ICU nurses during the Covid outbreak at Westmead Hospital.

“The implementation of this hybrid structure was done in consultation with our nursing staff and the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association,’’ the spokeswoman said.

“We are checking our rosters daily and the ICU hybrid model helps to ensure the right number of staff in the right place at the right time.’’

But not all nurses have accepted the model as the best for patients.

“It obviously puts them in danger,’’ Mr Blofield said.

“If I was being incubated because I was in a critical condition I would of course want an ICU nurse rather than just any other RN. It does compromise care.’’

He said the lack of a lockdown and patients treated for lifestyle injuries meant nurses were not coping.

The health district spokeswoman said between mid 2012 and mid 2021, it increased its workforce with 2199 more full-time equivalent staff.

That equated to 421 more doctors, 1000 more nurses and midwives and 105 more allied health staff.

“The NSW Government has committed more than $4 billion to the NSW health system to manage the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020, including $340 million for personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep our frontline workers safe,’’ she said.

The Premier and health Minister were also contacted for comment.

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