Launceston General Hospital: 23 FTE jobs to be culled, says union

After staff in Tasmania’s north participated in stop-work action over revelations more than 20 roles would be cut from their hospital, both the state and federal health departments have spoken.

HACSU Tasmania assistant secretary Lucas Digney and ANMF Tasmania secretary Emily Shepherd at stop-work action at Launceston General Hospital on May 29, 2023. Picture: Alex Treacy

Wednesday, May 31: The Australian Department of Health has defended its funding arrangements with states including Tasmania after news that the troubled Launceston General Hospital is likely to shed 23 full-time equivalent positions funded as part of the Commonwealth’s Covid-19 response.

The Health and Community Services Union Tasmania led stop-work action at the hospital on Monday, its secretary Lucas Digney telling the rally that the job losses for workers like ward clerks and environmental services officers would put greater pressure on nurses and doctors.

He said that funding would run out on June 17.

Ward clerk Elizabeth Dominy, whose job was likely to be affected, told reporters, “Support workers like us are often left out of the conversation about health, but this place cannot run without us”.

“It’s that simple. Nurses will have to consider closing beds if our positions are not retained,” Ms Dominy said.

The 23 FTE roles were funded under the National Partnership on Covid-19 Response, which was signed in March 2020 and expired on December 31 last year. States and the federal government shared the cost of the partnership 50–50.

On Tuesday, a state Department of Health spokesman said: “Tasmania, along with other states and territories, has unsuccessfully sought at a national level for the new [National Partnership] to be more broad”.

Launceston General Hospital. Picture: Department of Health

In response to questions, a federal health department spokesman said that Tasmania had received $296.5m in additional Covid-19 funding under the National Partnership between March 2020 and February this year.

However, under the proposed new National Partnership for Priority Groups Covid-19 Testing and Vaccination offered to states and territories – a more limited deal – Tasmania would received just $6.2m in 2023.

States and territories, including Tasmania, are yet to sign the downgraded deal, which would be backdated to January 1 this year, should they change their mind.

Monday, May 29: Employees at the Launceston General Hospital have participated in stop-work action over claims 23 FTE positions involving ward clerks and environmental service officers when additional federal government funding provided during Covid runs out on June 17.

“The sacking of these workers will mean nurses and other health professionals have to pick up the slack and take on duties that we should not expect them to perform,” said Health and Community Services Union state secretary Lucas Digney.

“It could mean cuts to services across medical and surgical wards.

“These positions are vital to the operation of the hospital. Just because the pandemic has been declared over does not mean that there’s been any reduction in demand for health services.

“The Department of Health have asked for additional funding for these positions, but as it stands, these workers will be sacked in just a matter of weeks if the premier doesn’t step in to stop it happening.”

Mr Digney said that approximately 40 staff would be affected, should the funding be allowed to run out on June 17. He said that last week’s 2023–24 state budget indicated the tap was about to run dry.

LGH ward clerk and union delegate Elizabeth Dominy said, “We are increasingly anxious about our jobs… but not just our jobs. We know that if we’re let go, the work that we do every day just won’t get done.

“Support workers like us are often left out of the conversation about health, but this place cannot run without us. It’s that simple. Nurses will have to consider closing beds if our positions are not retained,” she said.

Ms Dominy said she was hired to her current role in March last year and that the hospital “definitely cannot” run without us.

She said her role had been “helping doctors and nurses with admin tasks, putting patient notes together, making sure they are correctly collated,” and allowing visitors access to the locked wards, which require intercom access that nurses “don’t have time” to answer.

Follow @humidityreport

“My contract will not be renewed, as far as I am aware,” she said.

“I’m pretty scared. I have enjoyed working on the medical ward.”

Ward clerk Craig Fraser is scared he will lose his job when federal government funding of his position runs out on June 17. He is at stop-work action at Launceston General Hospital on May 29, 2023. Picture: Alex Treacy

Her colleague Craig Fraser, likewise a ward clerk, hired one month after Ms Dominy, said he is in the same boat.

“I’ve heard next to nothing. The government has been conspicuous in its silence,” he said.

“I’m very anxious. It’s a bit distressing, you don’t know what you’re doing. I’ll probably go back to the pool office, being on-call all the time, which can be a bit hard for organising life – I look after my elderly mother.

“This has been a really good job and I like the hospital.”

In response to Mercury questions, the department said that the state government had lobbied hard for funding for the additional positions to carry over in a new deal.

“As part of the state’s emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of additional positions at the Launceston General Hospital were funded through the National Partnership on Covid-19 Response between the Commonwealth and states and territories,” a spokesman said.

“The National Partnership agreement expired at the end of 2022, and the draft agreement to replace it does not cover some components of the ongoing Covid-19 response.

“Tasmania, along with other states and territories, has unsuccessfully sought at a national level for the new agreement to be more broad.

“The department is currently reviewing how these temporary Covid-19 focused roles may fit in the workplace going forward and we will continue to work with staff who are reaching the end of their contracts.”