❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding unfilled nursing vacancies in metropolitan hospitals, their duration, and the use of agency nurses to fill gaps. The response details the number of vacancies, recruitment efforts, and agency nurse usage across various health services.
AnsweredQoN 3791Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many unfilled vacancies currently exist at each metropolitan hospital for:
(a) registered nurses; and
(b) enrolled nurses?
(2) How long has each vacancy existed?
(3) What action is being taken to fill these positions?
(4) Are any of these vacancies being back-filled by agency or contract nurses; and
(a) if so, what company is providing these nurses; and
(b) if so, how many agency or contract nurses are currently filling vacancies at each hospital?
(a) registered nurses; and
(b) enrolled nurses?
(2) How long has each vacancy existed?
(3) What action is being taken to fill these positions?
(4) Are any of these vacancies being back-filled by agency or contract nurses; and
(a) if so, what company is providing these nurses; and
(b) if so, how many agency or contract nurses are currently filling vacancies at each hospital?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 September 2010
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
33 days
Child and Adolescent Health Service
Princess Margaret Hospital
(1)(a) 10.11 FTE
(b) Nil.
(2) 2.30 FTE - 6 months.
2.64 FTE - 4 months.
2.92 FTE - 3 months.
2.25 FTE - 2 months.
(3) Advertisements are currently active for areas where vacancies exist, although previous recruitment processes for some specialties have been unsuccessful due to the limited supply of experienced nurses in specialist areas such as Oncology and Emergency Department nursing.
(4) No. Nurses from the hospital's casual pool are being utilised on a shift by shift basis to cover deficits where required.
(a - b) Not applicable.
North Metropolitan Area Health Service
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
(1)(a) 13.99 FTE
(b) 10.18 FTE
(2) Approximately 3 months.
(3) International recruitment through the Department of Health, increasing graduate nurse programs, focus on retention of current staff, advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Hospital Casual Pool and Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - 27 FTE and Agency staff - 14 FTE as at 24 August 2010.
King Edward Memorial Hospital
(1)(a) 57.07 FTE
(b) 0.42 FTE
(2) Vacancy is fluid and turnover constant therefore not applicable to measure.
(3)Advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment and international recruitment.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Hospital Casual Pool and Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - 41 FTE and Agency staff - 10 FTE as at 24 August 2010.
Osborne Park Hospital
(1)(a) 10.54 FTE
(b) 2 FTE
(2) Average 1-2 months.
(3) Increasing graduate nurse programs, focus on retention of current staff, advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Hospital Casual Pool and Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - 3 FTE and Agency staff - Nil as at 24 August 2010.
Swan Kalamunda Health Service
(1)(a) 9 FTE
(b) 3 FTE
(2) Average 1-2 months
(3) Advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment and increasing graduate nurse programs.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Hospital Casual Pool and Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - Nil and Agency staff - Nil as at 24 August 2010.
Mental Health
(1)(a) 16 FTE
(b) 8.5 FTE
(2) Vacancy is fluid and turnover constant therefore not applicable to measure.
(3) Advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - 14 FTE and Agency staff -9 as at 24 August 2010.
South Metropolitan Area Health Service
Armadale Health Service
(1)(a) 20 FTE
(b) Nil.
(2) These positions have been vacant for three months.
(3) All positions have an ongoing recruitment process in place.
(4) Yes, for peri-operative staff only who are block booked through Nurse West to cover leave / on call / dose requirements, averaging 2 FTE per month.
(a) Nurse West.
(b) Used to fill unplanned leave only with the exception of theatre staff.
Bentley Health Service
(1)(a) 17.05 FTE
(b) Nil.
(2) Approximately six months.
(3) Regular advertising.
(4) Yes.
(a) Nurse West.
(b) Approximately 100 shifts per month.
Fremantle Hospital
(1)(a) 31 FTE vacant.
(b) Nil.
(2) Average six weeks.
(3) Fremantle Hospital and Health Service (FHHS) currently has open recruitment pools for areas of special needs including Emergency Department and Operating Rooms. All vacant positions are advertised in accordance with OD0280/10 (Employment Advertising Policy).
Other more general vacant positions are filled through Graduate Nurse placement at completion of graduate programs (RN & EN).
(4) No. Agency nurses are used to fill only unplanned leave and absenteeism.
(a) Not applicable. Any agency and contract nursing is arranged through Nurse West as per service agreement.
(b) Current year to date agency utilisation is 5.61 FTE.
Royal Perth Hospital
(1)(a) 126.6 FTE
(b) 22.4 FTE
(2) Vacancy is fluid and turnover constant therefore not applicable to measure.
(3) Vacancy is continually being monitored. Nursing graduate intake mid July saw an additional 55 nurses employed. A large percentage of the vacant FTE can be attributed to parental leave, and are not considered to be a permanently vacant position.
(4) Yes, agency and casual nurses are employed on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Nurse West.
(b) Varies shift by shift and is also dependent on absenteeism and acuity replacement.
Rockingham Hospital
(1)(a) 7.75 FTE
(b) 1.15 FTE
(2) Varies as many were activity driven, however the longest was four months.
(3) Actively recruiting via advertising, coupled with back-filling utilising existing and supernumerary staff on higher / alternative duties.
(4) No.
(a - b) Not applicable
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Princess Margaret Hospital
(1)(a) 10.11 FTE
(b) Nil.
(2) 2.30 FTE - 6 months.
2.64 FTE - 4 months.
2.92 FTE - 3 months.
2.25 FTE - 2 months.
(3) Advertisements are currently active for areas where vacancies exist, although previous recruitment processes for some specialties have been unsuccessful due to the limited supply of experienced nurses in specialist areas such as Oncology and Emergency Department nursing.
(4) No. Nurses from the hospital's casual pool are being utilised on a shift by shift basis to cover deficits where required.
(a - b) Not applicable.
North Metropolitan Area Health Service
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
(1)(a) 13.99 FTE
(b) 10.18 FTE
(2) Approximately 3 months.
(3) International recruitment through the Department of Health, increasing graduate nurse programs, focus on retention of current staff, advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Hospital Casual Pool and Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - 27 FTE and Agency staff - 14 FTE as at 24 August 2010.
King Edward Memorial Hospital
(1)(a) 57.07 FTE
(b) 0.42 FTE
(2) Vacancy is fluid and turnover constant therefore not applicable to measure.
(3)Advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment and international recruitment.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Hospital Casual Pool and Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - 41 FTE and Agency staff - 10 FTE as at 24 August 2010.
Osborne Park Hospital
(1)(a) 10.54 FTE
(b) 2 FTE
(2) Average 1-2 months.
(3) Increasing graduate nurse programs, focus on retention of current staff, advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Hospital Casual Pool and Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - 3 FTE and Agency staff - Nil as at 24 August 2010.
Swan Kalamunda Health Service
(1)(a) 9 FTE
(b) 3 FTE
(2) Average 1-2 months
(3) Advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment and increasing graduate nurse programs.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Hospital Casual Pool and Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - Nil and Agency staff - Nil as at 24 August 2010.
Mental Health
(1)(a) 16 FTE
(b) 8.5 FTE
(2) Vacancy is fluid and turnover constant therefore not applicable to measure.
(3) Advertising via Health Corporate Network, and open-ended pool recruitment.
(4) Yes casual and agency staff are used on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Nurse West.
(b) Casual staff - 14 FTE and Agency staff -9 as at 24 August 2010.
South Metropolitan Area Health Service
Armadale Health Service
(1)(a) 20 FTE
(b) Nil.
(2) These positions have been vacant for three months.
(3) All positions have an ongoing recruitment process in place.
(4) Yes, for peri-operative staff only who are block booked through Nurse West to cover leave / on call / dose requirements, averaging 2 FTE per month.
(a) Nurse West.
(b) Used to fill unplanned leave only with the exception of theatre staff.
Bentley Health Service
(1)(a) 17.05 FTE
(b) Nil.
(2) Approximately six months.
(3) Regular advertising.
(4) Yes.
(a) Nurse West.
(b) Approximately 100 shifts per month.
Fremantle Hospital
(1)(a) 31 FTE vacant.
(b) Nil.
(2) Average six weeks.
(3) Fremantle Hospital and Health Service (FHHS) currently has open recruitment pools for areas of special needs including Emergency Department and Operating Rooms. All vacant positions are advertised in accordance with OD0280/10 (Employment Advertising Policy).
Other more general vacant positions are filled through Graduate Nurse placement at completion of graduate programs (RN & EN).
(4) No. Agency nurses are used to fill only unplanned leave and absenteeism.
(a) Not applicable. Any agency and contract nursing is arranged through Nurse West as per service agreement.
(b) Current year to date agency utilisation is 5.61 FTE.
Royal Perth Hospital
(1)(a) 126.6 FTE
(b) 22.4 FTE
(2) Vacancy is fluid and turnover constant therefore not applicable to measure.
(3) Vacancy is continually being monitored. Nursing graduate intake mid July saw an additional 55 nurses employed. A large percentage of the vacant FTE can be attributed to parental leave, and are not considered to be a permanently vacant position.
(4) Yes, agency and casual nurses are employed on a shift by shift basis.
(a) Nurse West.
(b) Varies shift by shift and is also dependent on absenteeism and acuity replacement.
Rockingham Hospital
(1)(a) 7.75 FTE
(b) 1.15 FTE
(2) Varies as many were activity driven, however the longest was four months.
(3) Actively recruiting via advertising, coupled with back-filling utilising existing and supernumerary staff on higher / alternative duties.
(4) No.
(a - b) Not applicable
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