Nurses Federation want houses converted to use for aged and disability care to take pressure off RDH

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation NT branch secretary Cath Hatcher wants the government to buy and convert homes to use for aged and disability care.

AUSTRALIAN Nursing and Midwifery Federation NT branch secretary Cath Hatcher wants the government to buy and convert homes to use for aged and disability care.

The short-term measure would take pressure off the Royal Darwin Hospital while a new 60-bed aged-care home is built.

Funding for the new public facility was quietly secured from the commonwealth government last month.

Palmerston Regional Hospital has also seen staffing issues. Picture: Justin Kennedy

“If they have some empty houses, could they be utilised to put these non-acute patients into these houses – maybe four or five patients into one house – to relieve some pressure?” she said.

Ms Hatcher also flagged the idea of flying in 50 to 100 nurses into Darwin, in the same way mango and watermelon pickers are flown into the NT from overseas.

“Between 50 and 100 right now, to help us right now, and then looking at where else we’re needing it in the rural and remote areas,” she said.

Ms Hatcher said NT Health desperately needed to address the low morale in the workforce at the Royal Darwin, which had scared nurses away from moving to work in the Top End.

“I have heard those rumours that down south everyone’s saying don’t go to Darwin and work in the emergency department at Royal Darwin Hospital (as it) has got a toxic environment,” she said.

“Within Darwin itself, (RDH) doesn’t have a good reputation at the moment.

“It does really need a good shake-up and it needs to be nurturing and caring.”

Ms Hatcher said management “probably haven’t had good bedside manner” when it came to talking to staff about their grievances.

Originally published as Nurses Federation want houses converted to use for aged and disability care to take pressure off RDH