Darwin nurses invited to Bendigo Health recruiting event

The NT health workforce has sparked interest from interstate hospitals, but a medical boss has expressed his concern. HAVE YOUR SAY

NORTHERN Territory nurses are being scouted to work interstate, with their unique experience and resilience an attractive feature for other health organisations.

Victorian-based Bendigo Health will be hosting a careers information night to coincide with the Australian College of Nursing Conference next week.

Bendigo Health chief nurse Carol-Anne Lever said being the first time the group have been to Darwin, they were excited to network with colleagues from Northern Australia.

“We do sort of feel a bit linked to Darwin, we have a few girls who worked in the NT and returned to Bendigo,” she said.

Ms Lever said the calibre of nurses they get after a stint in the NT is often higher than if they’ve stayed down south.

“When they get some rural and remote experience in the NT, every time they come back with more skills, more adaptable and they’re more resilient,” she said.

But there is concern about the initiative will impact an already struggling sector.

“Good on them for their chutzpah but it’s difficult for the NT given the current workforce shortages,” AMA president Dr Rob Parker said.

However Australian Nursing and Midwifery Union boss Cath Hatcher thought the information night was a good initiative at a hard time.

“They obviously have shortness of staff like everyone else around Australia and doing an Australian tour to plug their hospital,” she said.

Ms Lever said it was a nationwide problem and did not know if they would have any luck in recruiting staff.

“It’s a hard sell coming from the NT to Bendigo, but you never know,” she said.

‘We’re all facing the same challenges in recruitment.

“It’s a bit of a merry-go round.”