LGH not under official code yellow despite nursing union telling of patients being ‘parked in corridors’

Patients at the LGH are being parked in corridors, the state’s nursing union says, as it declares an unofficial code yellow for the busy hospital.

The Launceston General Hospital Acute Medical Unit. Picture: Supplied/Rob Burnett

Tasmania’s top nursing union has unofficially declared a code yellow at the emergency department of one of the state’s major hospitals.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) Tasmanian Branch issued the alert on Friday evening for the Launceston General Hospital emergency department, which has remained in place since.

A code yellow is declared when a hospital has an infrastructure or other internal emergency affecting its service delivery.

Only the Department of Health can issue a code yellow, which has not been done.

ANMF Tasmania Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd shares why IVF Tas nurses are preparing for industrial action. Picture: Stephanie Dalton

ANMF Tasmania Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd said that its unofficial alert was triggered by its members across all hospitals, not just the LGH ED, experiencing “a significant increase in workloads” as a result of the implementation of the 60-minute transfer of care procedure between ambulances and emergency departments.

“These patients, particularly at the LGH ED, are being parked in corridors,” Ms Shepherd said.

“There’s just not enough staff, and there’s no resources to actually improve access and flow, which fundamentally will actually allow these patients to get into appropriate beds in the emergency department.”

LGH ED workers from the ANMF went on strike on Wednesday morning as part of an ongoing dispute with the Department over staffing and resourcing.

Ms Shepherd believed that issuing an unofficial code was not a dangerous or misleading tactic to get a response from the state government.

“We’ve been very clear in all of our communications to say that members welcome anyone with a life-threatening emergency to present to the emergency department, and they will be provided care,” she said.

“Ultimately, this is about trying to protect the community.

Launceston General Hospital. Picture: Amber Wilson

“It’s trying to protect patients in the emergency department, and also staff, by ensuring that there are appropriate resources – appropriate escalations – in the event that the emergency department is overrun from overcapacity, or there’s insufficient staff to be able to care for patients in the emergency department, or people being parked in corridors and not receiving care.

“I think it’s entirely appropriate to escalate that, but it’s unfortunate that members have had to do that themselves again, trying to protect patient care and safe and quality care provision.”

A Department of Health spokesperson said the LGH was not in code yellow.

“Highly professional staff are providing ongoing care and our usual services at the LGH.

“The department is also working to bring in up to 10 agency nurses to cover shifts until longer-term recruitment can be concluded.

“A code yellow is an internal hospital emergency that can only be called by the Department of Health in exceptional circumstances.

“The public are advised if and when a Code Yellow is put in place.”

Originally published as LGH not under official code yellow despite nursing union telling of patients being ‘parked in corridors’