❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses nursing staff conditions at Bunbury Regional Hospital, including turnover, leave, vacancies, and patient care. The answers indicate some issues exist but are being addressed or are within normal practice.
AnsweredQoN 2848Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What has been the turnover rate for nurses employed at the Bunbury Regional Hospital (BRH) over each of the past five years and how does this turnover or attrition rate compare with Government hospitals in the Perth metropolitan area?
(2) Have the levels of sick and stress leave being taken by nurses at BRH increased over the past five years and how does this hospital compare with Government hospitals in the Perth metropolitan area?
(3) How many long-standing vacancies remain unfilled at BRH, what positions have remained unfilled for more than 3 months and what actions are being taken to fill these vacancies?
(4) Are staff at the hospital being asked to undertake double shifts and, if yes, why and how often have staff had to work double shifts in the past 12 months?
(5) Is there an after-hours coordinator or supervisor at the hospital and, if not, why not?
(6) Is it true that many or most nursing staff are not being employed on a permanent basis but instead are being given short-term contracts of between 4 weeks and 6 months and, if yes, why?
(7) Is it true that nursing staff are unable to maintain or acquire their mandatory annual competencies as required by the hospital?
(8) Is there staff development at the ward level and within the hospital and, if not, why not?
(9) Is it true that psychiatric patients are being accommodated on medical wards even when their condition warrants the provision of security guards?
(10) Is it true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks and, if yes, why?
(11) Is it true that all the higher level of management personnel who are in acting positions come from outlying smaller hospitals and not from within the BRH itself and, if yes, why?
(2) Have the levels of sick and stress leave being taken by nurses at BRH increased over the past five years and how does this hospital compare with Government hospitals in the Perth metropolitan area?
(3) How many long-standing vacancies remain unfilled at BRH, what positions have remained unfilled for more than 3 months and what actions are being taken to fill these vacancies?
(4) Are staff at the hospital being asked to undertake double shifts and, if yes, why and how often have staff had to work double shifts in the past 12 months?
(5) Is there an after-hours coordinator or supervisor at the hospital and, if not, why not?
(6) Is it true that many or most nursing staff are not being employed on a permanent basis but instead are being given short-term contracts of between 4 weeks and 6 months and, if yes, why?
(7) Is it true that nursing staff are unable to maintain or acquire their mandatory annual competencies as required by the hospital?
(8) Is there staff development at the ward level and within the hospital and, if not, why not?
(9) Is it true that psychiatric patients are being accommodated on medical wards even when their condition warrants the provision of security guards?
(10) Is it true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks and, if yes, why?
(11) Is it true that all the higher level of management personnel who are in acting positions come from outlying smaller hospitals and not from within the BRH itself and, if yes, why?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 June 2004
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
22 days
(2) No. The rates of sick leave taken by nurses at Bunbury Regional Hospital is consistent with the levels of sick leave clearances for nursing staff at Government hospitals in the Perth metro area. (3) Three – Nursing Unit Managers. These vacancies are currently being filled. (4) Yes, but very rarely. This may only occur due to lack of staff being available to cover sick leave at short notice. SWAHS is unable to provide figures of staff who have worked double shifts as these are incorporated within overall overtime hours. (5) Yes, an after hours Senior Duty Nurse. (6) No. Some staff are on temporary contracts to fill fixed term leave such as long service leave or extended sick leave. This is normal practice. (7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(3) Three – Nursing Unit Managers. These vacancies are currently being filled. (4) Yes, but very rarely. This may only occur due to lack of staff being available to cover sick leave at short notice. SWAHS is unable to provide figures of staff who have worked double shifts as these are incorporated within overall overtime hours. (5) Yes, an after hours Senior Duty Nurse. (6) No. Some staff are on temporary contracts to fill fixed term leave such as long service leave or extended sick leave. This is normal practice. (7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(4) Yes, but very rarely. This may only occur due to lack of staff being available to cover sick leave at short notice. SWAHS is unable to provide figures of staff who have worked double shifts as these are incorporated within overall overtime hours. (5) Yes, an after hours Senior Duty Nurse. (6) No. Some staff are on temporary contracts to fill fixed term leave such as long service leave or extended sick leave. This is normal practice. (7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(5) Yes, an after hours Senior Duty Nurse. (6) No. Some staff are on temporary contracts to fill fixed term leave such as long service leave or extended sick leave. This is normal practice. (7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(6) No. Some staff are on temporary contracts to fill fixed term leave such as long service leave or extended sick leave. This is normal practice. (7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(11) No.
(3) Three – Nursing Unit Managers. These vacancies are currently being filled. (4) Yes, but very rarely. This may only occur due to lack of staff being available to cover sick leave at short notice. SWAHS is unable to provide figures of staff who have worked double shifts as these are incorporated within overall overtime hours. (5) Yes, an after hours Senior Duty Nurse. (6) No. Some staff are on temporary contracts to fill fixed term leave such as long service leave or extended sick leave. This is normal practice. (7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(4) Yes, but very rarely. This may only occur due to lack of staff being available to cover sick leave at short notice. SWAHS is unable to provide figures of staff who have worked double shifts as these are incorporated within overall overtime hours. (5) Yes, an after hours Senior Duty Nurse. (6) No. Some staff are on temporary contracts to fill fixed term leave such as long service leave or extended sick leave. This is normal practice. (7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(5) Yes, an after hours Senior Duty Nurse. (6) No. Some staff are on temporary contracts to fill fixed term leave such as long service leave or extended sick leave. This is normal practice. (7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(6) No. Some staff are on temporary contracts to fill fixed term leave such as long service leave or extended sick leave. This is normal practice. (7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(7) No. (8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(8) No. Staff development at the ward level is undertaken by senior Nursing staff and the Nurse Unit Manager as part of their role. There is a staff development unit at the Area level responsible for all research andstaff development issues for SWAHS. (9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(9) Yes. If the Acute Psychiatric Unit is unable to accept patients, they are admitted to the medical ward where clinically appropriate. (10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(10) Yes. If there is increased activity on the wardIt is not true that nursing staff often go without meal breaks. (11) No.
(11) No.
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