Exhausted Alfred Health workers ‘disappointed’ they have been told to work Queen’s public holiday

Exhausted frontline workers have been told they have no choice but to work on the Queen’s memorial holiday at this Melbourne hospital.

Staff across Victoria’s health system will be told they must work despite next Thursday’s Queen’s memorial public holiday.

In a note to staff, Alfred Health chief Andrew Way compared the medical profession’s “commitment to service” to that of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Exhausted Alfred staff said they were disappointed to be forced to work through the Queen’s national day of mourning after everything they had endured throughout the Covid pandemic.

However Professor Way said the hospital had no choice, and staff, including essential non-clinical staff, would be rostered to work.

“At Alfred Health it will continue as a normal clinical day and we will continue to provide a full clinical service to our community,” he said.

“This decision recognises the enormous task in front of us in addressing the level of deferred care in our community.

“It recognises the importance of continuing to treat people, many of whom have already had their appointments or surgeries cancelled or delayed several times over during this pandemic.

Alfred Health compared the medical profession’s ‘commitment to service’ to that of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Picture: Ian Currie

“I know that many other health services are making similar decisions for similar reasons. We will put in place steps to ensure that all patients who have an appointment that day know they should attend.”

Victoria’s elective surgery waiting list has surged by more than 70 per cent since March 2020.

The state opposition says almost 8000 Victorians have fallen off the waiting list between April and June this year due to surgery requests being denied, patients seeking care interstate or dying while awaiting treatment.

Professor Way said anyone rostered to work through the public holiday would receive appropriate public holiday benefits.

“I have asked the Executive Directors for Digital Health, Finance and People and Culture to review their staffing for the day to ensure there is appropriate support available for clinical teams,” he said.

“It is a difficult balance to achieve, acknowledging the death of a long-lived and most respected monarch, while continuing to meet the health challenges of our community.

“I hope our commitment to service is in some small way appropriate.”

The Department of Health has said treatment decisions, including the scheduling of patient procedures, were a matter for clinicians and would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

“We are working to ensure that all patients receive the care they need and have requested that health services continue surgery over the public holiday,” he said.

“While patients needing the most urgent care will always be prioritised, essential hospital services like elective surgery will also continue.”