❓ Opposition MP questions the Health Minister regarding nurses being asked to work triple shifts, following media reports and concerns raised by the Australian Nursing Federation. The Minister responds by outlining measures taken by WA Country Health Service and referencing existing Work Health and Safety legislation.
AnsweredQoN 715Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
HOSPITALS — NURSING SHIFTS
715. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to recent media reports
regarding the practice of nurses being asked to work triple shifts, with the
Australian Nursing Federation telling The West Australian on 19 June
that more than 100 nurses had been asked to work those types of shifts.
(1) Noting the
Premier has labelled triple shifts as unacceptable, how is the minister
ensuring WA Health no longer rosters or requests nurses to work triple shifts?
(2) Since the
incident at Albany Health Campus was revealed last week, how have nurses been
made aware of their rights to decline those types of shifts? Please table any
communications to this effect.
(3) Will the state government
commit to banning those types of shifts, as requested by the ANF?
715. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to recent media reports
regarding the practice of nurses being asked to work triple shifts, with the
Australian Nursing Federation telling The West Australian on 19 June
that more than 100 nurses had been asked to work those types of shifts.
(1) Noting the
Premier has labelled triple shifts as unacceptable, how is the minister
ensuring WA Health no longer rosters or requests nurses to work triple shifts?
(2) Since the
incident at Albany Health Campus was revealed last week, how have nurses been
made aware of their rights to decline those types of shifts? Please table any
communications to this effect.
(3) Will the state government
commit to banning those types of shifts, as requested by the ANF?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(3) WA
Country Health Service, which is responsible for Albany Health Campus, has
investigated this matter and implemented measures to ensure it does not happen
again. The measures include that overtime and additional shifts are approved by
hospital executives or on-call executives after hours, hospital leadership have
been reminded of their responsibilities regarding fatigue and overtime
management, and information relating to overtime and double shifts is
prominently displayed in staff areas. Legislation regarding safe workloads already exists. The Work Health and
Safety Act 2020, introduced by the McGowan government , includes robust
protections for employees and responsibilities on employers regarding safe
workloads. Under the act, a person conducting a business or an undertaking has
a primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers while they
are at work. Workers also have a duty to take reasonable care for their own
safety and health and make sure their acts or omissions do not adversely affect
the health or safety of others. Individual employees can and should refuse a shift
if they feel it is unsafe. They can and should raise the matter with their
manager. They can and should raise it with WorkSafe and the union.
some notice of the question.
(1)–(3) WA
Country Health Service, which is responsible for Albany Health Campus, has
investigated this matter and implemented measures to ensure it does not happen
again. The measures include that overtime and additional shifts are approved by
hospital executives or on-call executives after hours, hospital leadership have
been reminded of their responsibilities regarding fatigue and overtime
management, and information relating to overtime and double shifts is
prominently displayed in staff areas. Legislation regarding safe workloads already exists. The Work Health and
Safety Act 2020, introduced by the McGowan government , includes robust
protections for employees and responsibilities on employers regarding safe
workloads. Under the act, a person conducting a business or an undertaking has
a primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers while they
are at work. Workers also have a duty to take reasonable care for their own
safety and health and make sure their acts or omissions do not adversely affect
the health or safety of others. Individual employees can and should refuse a shift
if they feel it is unsafe. They can and should raise the matter with their
manager. They can and should raise it with WorkSafe and the union.
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