❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding staffing levels, vacancies, overtime, complaints, and fatigue management policies at various regional hospitals and health campuses. The Minister provides data on vacancies and overtime, denies formal complaints, and references existing fatigue management policies.
AnsweredQoN 2463Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
In relation to the following hospitals/health campuses, Broome, Derby, Wyndham, Kununnarra, Halls Creek, Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Newman, Pannawonica, Onslow, Laverton, Wiluna, Leonora and Kalgoorlie, I ask: (a) will the Minister table the FTE staffing levels with respect to doctors, nurses, orderlies, allied health staff and cleaning staff, required to safely run each hospital/health campus; (b) will the Minister table any current vacancies at each hospital/health campus; (c) will the Minister table the overtime shifts worked by doctors and nurses at each of the campuses in the last six months; (d) have there been any formal complaints from staff, both permanent and locum, regarding workload in the last six months: (i) if yes to (d), how many and what action was taken as a result; and (e) does the WA Country Health Service a fatigue management policy for all staff: (i) if yes to (e), will the Minister please table it?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
31 October 2019
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Health
Response time
14 days
I am advised:
(a) No. Safe staffing levels are determined by many factors that contribute to the provision of a safe working environment and high quality patient care.
(b) Yes. FTE Vacancies for salaried positions as at 23 September 2019 are provided below. It should be noted that service provision is assured through other employment mechanisms where positions are not substantively filled and recruitment is being progressed.
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Vacancy
Medical
Nursing
Orderlies
Allied Health
Cleaning
Broome
9.20
7.11
0.00
1.00
0.00
Derby
4.00
7.84
1.00
1.00
0.00
Wyndham
0.00
2.00
1.00
0.00
0.00
Kununurra
7.40
4.20
0.00
2.00
0.00
Halls Creek
0.00
1.13
0.00
0.00
0.00
Tom Price
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Paraburdoo
0.00
0.00
0.50
0.00
0.00
Newman
0.00
0.58
0.20
0.00
0.00
Pannawonica*
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Onslow
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Laverton
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Leonora
0.00
1.80
0.00
0.00
0.64
Kalgoorlie
18.90
4.00
0.00
2.00
0.00
Wiluna*
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
*No hospital or health service operated by the WA Country Health Service.
(c) Yes. Overtime shifts for the purposes of this question have been determined to be all instances when hours were worked above contracted hours.
Location
Medical Overtime:
Number of Shifts
Nursing Overtime: Number of Shifts
Laverton, Leonora and Kalgoorlie
40
1751
Broome, Derby, Wyndham, Kununurra and Halls Creek
30
249
Wiluna*
N/A
N/A
Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Newman, Pannawonica*, Onslow
0
91
(d) No.
(i) Not applicable.
(e) Yes. Fatigue management for medical staff is as prescribed by the WA Health System Medical Practitioners AMA Industrial Agreement 2016 under Section 15 (Hours of Duty). The WA Country Health Service Working in Isolation policy provides for orientation of relevant staff including processes for reporting and managing fatigue.
(i) Yes. See tabled paper no.
(a) No. Safe staffing levels are determined by many factors that contribute to the provision of a safe working environment and high quality patient care.
(b) Yes. FTE Vacancies for salaried positions as at 23 September 2019 are provided below. It should be noted that service provision is assured through other employment mechanisms where positions are not substantively filled and recruitment is being progressed.
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Vacancy
Medical
Nursing
Orderlies
Allied Health
Cleaning
Broome
9.20
7.11
0.00
1.00
0.00
Derby
4.00
7.84
1.00
1.00
0.00
Wyndham
0.00
2.00
1.00
0.00
0.00
Kununurra
7.40
4.20
0.00
2.00
0.00
Halls Creek
0.00
1.13
0.00
0.00
0.00
Tom Price
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Paraburdoo
0.00
0.00
0.50
0.00
0.00
Newman
0.00
0.58
0.20
0.00
0.00
Pannawonica*
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Onslow
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Laverton
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Leonora
0.00
1.80
0.00
0.00
0.64
Kalgoorlie
18.90
4.00
0.00
2.00
0.00
Wiluna*
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
*No hospital or health service operated by the WA Country Health Service.
(c) Yes. Overtime shifts for the purposes of this question have been determined to be all instances when hours were worked above contracted hours.
Location
Medical Overtime:
Number of Shifts
Nursing Overtime: Number of Shifts
Laverton, Leonora and Kalgoorlie
40
1751
Broome, Derby, Wyndham, Kununurra and Halls Creek
30
249
Wiluna*
N/A
N/A
Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Newman, Pannawonica*, Onslow
0
91
(d) No.
(i) Not applicable.
(e) Yes. Fatigue management for medical staff is as prescribed by the WA Health System Medical Practitioners AMA Industrial Agreement 2016 under Section 15 (Hours of Duty). The WA Country Health Service Working in Isolation policy provides for orientation of relevant staff including processes for reporting and managing fatigue.
(i) Yes. See tabled paper no.
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