❓ WA parliamentary question reveals significant nursing vacancies across metropolitan hospitals, with varying durations and reliance on agency staff to fill gaps. Recruitment efforts are ongoing, but challenges persist.
AnsweredQoN 4604Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many unfilled vacancies currently exist at each metropolitan hospital for registered nurses and enrolled nurses; and
(a) how long has each vacancy existed;
(b) what action is being taken to fill these positions;
(c) are any of these vacancies being back-filled by agency or contract nurses; and
(i) if so, what company is providing these nurses; and
(ii) if so, how many agency or contract nurses are currently filling vacancies at each hospital?
(a) how long has each vacancy existed;
(b) what action is being taken to fill these positions;
(c) are any of these vacancies being back-filled by agency or contract nurses; and
(i) if so, what company is providing these nurses; and
(ii) if so, how many agency or contract nurses are currently filling vacancies at each hospital?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 February 2011
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
83 days
As at 10 January 2011 Western Australian public hospitals had the following vacancies for registered nurses and enrolled nurses:
Child and Adolescent Health Service
Princess Margaret Hospital
(1) Registered Nurses: 25.88 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 2.28 FTE
(a) Vacancies exist for up to 3 months.
(b) The recruitment, selection and appointment process is in progress.
(c) No.
(i - ii) Not applicable.
North Metropolitan Area Health Service
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
(1) Registered Nurses: 31.70 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 8.02 FTE
(a) Between 1 month and 3 years (due to secondments).
(b) Ongoing recruitment.
International recruitment through Department of Health.
Increasing graduate numbers in programs.
Focus on retention of current staff.
Refresher and re-registration courses.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest for Casual staff, and the following agencies are used: Drake, Hendercare, Mediserve, Randstad, West Australian Nurses Agency, ACES, ACEPS, and Choice 1.
(ii) 36 shifts of casual & agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Osborne Park Hospital
(1) Registered Nurses: 18.97 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: Nil FTE
(a) Between 1 - 3 months.
(b) Advertising, Casual Staff, Part Time staff increasing hours as necessary, and Graduate Nurses.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest for Casual staff, and the following agencies are used: Drake, CPE Healthcare, Hendercare Nursing, Mediserve, West Australian Nurses Agency, Flex Health Services, IPA Personnel, and Choice 1.
(ii) 5 shifts of casual & agency nurses utilised in the 24 hr period 10 January 2011.
NMAHS Mental Health
(1) Registered Nurses: 21.5 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 17.75 FTE
(a) Between 3 weeks and 3 years.
(b) Graduate Registered Nurse and Enrolled Nurse programs, open pool recruitment, secondments, and fixed term temporary contracts.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest and Mediserve.
(ii) 42 shifts of casual & agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
King Edward Memorial Hospital
(1) Registered Nurses: 23.74 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: Nil FTE
(a) Up to 12 months.
(b) Ongoing recruitment, and intrastate, interstate and overseas recruitment via the Department of Health's Office of the Nursing and Midwifery Officer.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest and King Edward Memorial Hospital casual pool.
(ii) 63 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Swan Kalamunda Health Service
(1) Registered Nurses: 12 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 3 FTE
(a) Between 1 and 6 months.
(b) Ongoing recruitment; international recruitment through Department of Health; increasing graduate numbers in programs; offering increased hours to current staff; fixed term contracts; increase recruitment to casual pool; and focus on retention of current staff.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest and the following agencies: Drake, CPE Healthcare, Hendercare Nursing, Mediserve, West Australian Nurses Agency, Flex Health Services, IPA Personnel, and Choice 1.
(ii) 13 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
South Metropolitan Area Health Service
Armadale Health Service
(1) Registered Nurse: 4.57 FTE
(a) Between 1-8 weeks with one senior nurse appointment vacant 6 months.
(b) RN vacancies all currently advertised through WA Health jobs-online in various stages of recruitment. Senior Nurse position recruitment yielded unsuccessful applicants twice and now currently readvertised.
(c) Yes on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 26 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Bentley Health Service
(1) Registered Nurses: 22.23 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 2 FTE
(a) 12 months.
(b) Regular advertising is undertaken to fill the vacancies.
(c) Yes, on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 14 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Fremantle Hospital and Health Service
(1) Registered Nurse: 48 FTE
(a) Average 6 weeks.
(b) Open recruitment pools for areas of special needs including Emergency Department and Operating Rooms. Other more general vacant positions are filled through Graduate Nurse placement at completion of graduate programs (RN &EN).
(c) Yes, on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 66 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Rockingham Peel Group
(1) Registered Nurse: 12.25 FTE
Enrolled Nurse: 0.5 FTE
(a) Varies- activity driven longest 4 months.
(b) Open recruitment pools, and staff transfers within the South Metropolitan Area Health Service.
(c) Yes, on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 8 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Royal Perth Hospital
(1) A total of 63 FTE (57 FTE RN and 6 FTE EN) has been allocated to new nursing graduates who are commencing employment in mid January 2011.
(a) No position has been vacant for greater than 6 months.
(b) Vacancies are advertised and recruited.
(c) Yes, on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 76 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
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Child and Adolescent Health Service
Princess Margaret Hospital
(1) Registered Nurses: 25.88 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 2.28 FTE
(a) Vacancies exist for up to 3 months.
(b) The recruitment, selection and appointment process is in progress.
(c) No.
(i - ii) Not applicable.
North Metropolitan Area Health Service
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
(1) Registered Nurses: 31.70 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 8.02 FTE
(a) Between 1 month and 3 years (due to secondments).
(b) Ongoing recruitment.
International recruitment through Department of Health.
Increasing graduate numbers in programs.
Focus on retention of current staff.
Refresher and re-registration courses.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest for Casual staff, and the following agencies are used: Drake, Hendercare, Mediserve, Randstad, West Australian Nurses Agency, ACES, ACEPS, and Choice 1.
(ii) 36 shifts of casual & agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Osborne Park Hospital
(1) Registered Nurses: 18.97 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: Nil FTE
(a) Between 1 - 3 months.
(b) Advertising, Casual Staff, Part Time staff increasing hours as necessary, and Graduate Nurses.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest for Casual staff, and the following agencies are used: Drake, CPE Healthcare, Hendercare Nursing, Mediserve, West Australian Nurses Agency, Flex Health Services, IPA Personnel, and Choice 1.
(ii) 5 shifts of casual & agency nurses utilised in the 24 hr period 10 January 2011.
NMAHS Mental Health
(1) Registered Nurses: 21.5 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 17.75 FTE
(a) Between 3 weeks and 3 years.
(b) Graduate Registered Nurse and Enrolled Nurse programs, open pool recruitment, secondments, and fixed term temporary contracts.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest and Mediserve.
(ii) 42 shifts of casual & agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
King Edward Memorial Hospital
(1) Registered Nurses: 23.74 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: Nil FTE
(a) Up to 12 months.
(b) Ongoing recruitment, and intrastate, interstate and overseas recruitment via the Department of Health's Office of the Nursing and Midwifery Officer.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest and King Edward Memorial Hospital casual pool.
(ii) 63 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Swan Kalamunda Health Service
(1) Registered Nurses: 12 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 3 FTE
(a) Between 1 and 6 months.
(b) Ongoing recruitment; international recruitment through Department of Health; increasing graduate numbers in programs; offering increased hours to current staff; fixed term contracts; increase recruitment to casual pool; and focus on retention of current staff.
(c) Yes.
(i) NurseWest and the following agencies: Drake, CPE Healthcare, Hendercare Nursing, Mediserve, West Australian Nurses Agency, Flex Health Services, IPA Personnel, and Choice 1.
(ii) 13 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
South Metropolitan Area Health Service
Armadale Health Service
(1) Registered Nurse: 4.57 FTE
(a) Between 1-8 weeks with one senior nurse appointment vacant 6 months.
(b) RN vacancies all currently advertised through WA Health jobs-online in various stages of recruitment. Senior Nurse position recruitment yielded unsuccessful applicants twice and now currently readvertised.
(c) Yes on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 26 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Bentley Health Service
(1) Registered Nurses: 22.23 FTE
Enrolled Nurses: 2 FTE
(a) 12 months.
(b) Regular advertising is undertaken to fill the vacancies.
(c) Yes, on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 14 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Fremantle Hospital and Health Service
(1) Registered Nurse: 48 FTE
(a) Average 6 weeks.
(b) Open recruitment pools for areas of special needs including Emergency Department and Operating Rooms. Other more general vacant positions are filled through Graduate Nurse placement at completion of graduate programs (RN &EN).
(c) Yes, on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 66 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Rockingham Peel Group
(1) Registered Nurse: 12.25 FTE
Enrolled Nurse: 0.5 FTE
(a) Varies- activity driven longest 4 months.
(b) Open recruitment pools, and staff transfers within the South Metropolitan Area Health Service.
(c) Yes, on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 8 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
Royal Perth Hospital
(1) A total of 63 FTE (57 FTE RN and 6 FTE EN) has been allocated to new nursing graduates who are commencing employment in mid January 2011.
(a) No position has been vacant for greater than 6 months.
(b) Vacancies are advertised and recruited.
(c) Yes, on a shift by shift basis only and dependent on clinical requirements.
(i) Nurse West.
(ii) 76 shifts of casual and agency nurses utilised in the 24 hour period 10 January 2011.
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