Dozens of latecomer vaccination nurses ‘in surplus’ while health priorities remain unfulfilled

As the Top End’s health system reels from the connected shocks of Covid-19 and staffing shortages, the NT News can reveal 35 contract nursing staff have belatedly joined the vaccination program while other health priorities remain unfulfilled.

AS the Top End’s health system reels from the connected shocks of Covid-19 and staffing shortages, the NT News can reveal 35 contract nursing staff have belatedly joined the vaccination program while other health priorities remain unfulfilled.

The NT News spoke at the weekend with two NT Health employees involved in the Territory’s vaccination rollout who both argue the investment in vaccination nurses has come too late to help Territorians and are at the expense of Top End health staff.

The two NT Health vaccination team members, who requested anonymity, said the “recruitment” of vaccination contractors may have been appropriate when the rollout began in the Territory in March but September was too late and most were now surplus to need.

“Why have they suddenly brought all those people here to vaccinate when we don’t need them?” the nurse said.

Thirty-five nursing staff have belatedly joined the vaccination program while other health priorities remain unfulfilled.

“If they’d been brought in at the start of vaccinations they might have made a difference.

“Now we’re nearing the end of the program it’s just too late.

“I’m lucky now to vaccinate 20 people a day.

“One day recently at Palmerston vaccination hub we had nine vaccinators on the floor and we only had 226 bookings.

“That’s about 35 people each for an eight-hour period.

“Normally I would do that on my own in a morning shift.”

The nurse said contract staff could be paid up to twice as much as NT Health employees and that this had created a divide between NT government and contract staff.

“Basically, many of us feel we’re being pushed out of a job, and this is unfair,” the nurse said.

Another vaccination team member said the contract staff nurses were misplaced.

“They don’t need them doing vaccinations, they need them at the hospital,” they said.

“That’s where the shortages are. That’s where the code yellows are.

“I think they’ve tried to overdo the vaccine program at the expense of the hospital.”

NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles, who confirmed Serco and possibly other providers had been contracted by the Territory, said all nursing staff had to meet satisfactory standards and qualifications.

Ms Fyles said contract staff had to meet standards and qualifications and the government was “very constant” with interactions around remote communities.