ANF appeared again in the Tasmanian Industrial Commission on Wednesday in relation to the implementation of the Public Sector Heads of Agreement implementation.

ANF has written to the Minister to request intervention to ensure the remaining entitlements are implemented prior to re-commencing negotiations for a new EBA.

ANF attended a productive meeting on Friday with DHHS, THO and Public Sector Management Office representatives and there is a commitment to forward a package of proposals in an attempt to resolve the outstanding issues to ANF by the end of the week.

The key outstanding issues are; appointment of 6.4 FTE Clinical Nurse Educators to support rural and remote nurses, community health career pathway and direct entry points and the work value for Grade 5-9.

Classification Review External Review Process – If an ANF member wishes to have an external review of the translation classification decision, a review application has to be lodged with 14 days with the Tasmanian Industrial Commission. Please contact ANF on receipt of your letter.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the ANF Information Centre on 6223 6777, 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area) or email info@anftas.org.

Authorised: Neroli Ellis

Branch Secretary

21 May 2013

Please find attached ANF Federal Office Challenges for Australia’s Political Parties for the 2013 Federal Election.

ANF Branch Councillor Roslyn Gorrie recently attended the Mental Health Forum which was part of the Commonwealth Nurses Federation 2013 Conference. In attendance were mental health nurses from Commonwealth countries as diverse as Canada, Malta, Jamaica, South Africa and the Solomon Islands.

The Forum received an overview of mental Health in Australia and the Pacific region, mental health nursing as a profession across the Commonwealth of Nations and an update from the Australian College of mental health Nurses.

They heard from at least 6 different mental health nurses about:

• Their professional experience;
• A brief outline of the mental health situation in their country;
• Legal frameworks within their country;
• The particular issues which affect mental health consumers/ carers / cultural issues in their country; and
• Their profession as a mental health nurse and as individuals working within mental health in their country

The forum then formulated recommendations that could be taken to the Common wealth Nurses Conference being held in Melbourne. The ultimate goal is that recommendations will develop through a number of levels and forums and that these will all be brought together for feedback then passed and prioritised. These key recommendations will then be taken to the individual Health Ministers of Commonwealth Countries  with pressure for them to be implemented.

The recommendations presented revolved around:

• looking at a Commonwealth-wide protection of mental health clients rights;
• demanding the update of Mental Health Acts of individual Commonwealth Countries, some of which date back to 1902;
• developing basic expected mental health standards for Commonwealth Countries and their citizens with the ability to have oversight and ongoing review;
• recognising cultural differences and experience;
• developing agreed basic Commonwealth mental health strategies for clients, families and services; and
• continuing to improve education, pathways, and research and support networks for mental health nurses as individuals and as a profession within the Common wealth.

There is still a good deal of work to be done to refine the details of the recommendations.

In Roz’s own words: “As an individual mental health nurse I was overwhelmed by the things that united us as a profession and that mental health nursing is very alive and growing in Commonwealth Countries. That the skills and positive outcomes we can bring for our clients and their families were the goal of all the nurses present as they reflected on the current situation in their countries.”

Roz went on to say: “As an individual I wanted to discuss the education frame work in this country as we seem to move to NGO‘s providing care and support to our mentally ill. Would it be better financially and for clients to gain better clinical outcomes to broaden our professional base and look at having mental health trained enrolled nurses and direct entry Degrees in mental health at a university level? Some Commonwealth countries have a professional mental health stream for nurses.”

It was clear from the hands-on mental health nurses present that they all want better outcomes, education and breaking down of stigma. It was also evident that there was a strong desire for a better sense of professional unity among mental health nurses in the Common wealth of Nations, through their nursing unions and professional bodies.

“There was strong agreement that we need to be mindful to continue to build community, maintain sense of family, and early intervention to stop break down and isolation,” said Roz.  “We need to take the best from each nation to continue to build upon where we are now and where we want to be as mental health services and as mental nurses in the future as a profession.”

As a focus for the future one of the speakers quoted “there is no health without mental health”.

The country’s largest health union, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF), has welcomed a $23.8 million funding boost to Australia’s mental health services as part of tonight’s Budget announcements.
The funding will ensure that the equivalent of 375 mental health nurses will continue to provide clinical services and support for people with mental health issues throughout the community under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program.
“In this tight fiscal environment, the ANF welcomes the Government’s ongoing commitment to tackling mental health through this funding package,” ANF Federal Secretary, Lee Thomas, said.
“The investment over the next 12 months will maintain the coordinated clinical care and support services for 60,000 people in the community through this very successful program.”
The ANF also commended the Government for extra funding for the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer, including $55 million to expand breast cancer screening for women over 70 and $19.5 million for breast care nurses working with the McGrath Foundation.
“Unfortunately, breast cancer continues to be the most common type of cancer in Australian women,” she explained.
“We are delighted that this additional funding over the next four years for the Breast Care Nurses Initiative will now expand the number of highly-trained nurses working with the McGrath Foundation from 44 to 57.”
Ms Thomas said the ANF also acknowledged funding for prostate, lung and bowel cancers and bone marrow transplants.
The ANF, with over 225,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

The Freemasons Homes of Southern Tasmania Inc. General Staff Agreement 2012 has been approved by FWC and operates from 30 April 2013.  The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 31 July 2013.  An outline of wages and conditions are as follows:

• Wage increases of 3.1% or FWC minimum wage increase per annum, whichever is greater; FFPP 1/7/2012 & 1/7/2013 with agreement for Employer to apply higher rate of pay if additional Commonwealth Government funding received to increase wages in the aged care industry.
• Casual Loading transitioning; 2/7/12 (23%), 1/7/13 (24%), 1/7/14 (25%) cumulative with back pay.
• Responsibility Allowance for ECA on night duty at Bowditch $4.45 per shift.
• ECA on night duty at Bowditch to be paid a minimum 15 minute handover in addition to ordinary working hours.
• Preceptor or Buddy Allowance of $1.10 per hour when assisting in orientation of new staff members.
• $12.85 weekly First Aid Allowance for full time employees with current First Aid Certificates who is responsible in a given week for the provision of first aid to employees.
• All Allowances to increase in line with wage increases.
• LSL entitlement to 8 & 2/3 weeks paid leave after 10 years continuous employment – pro rata after 7 years and prior to 10 years.
• Paid Parental Leave as per Federal Government’s Paid Parental Leave Scheme – up to 18 weeks Parental Leave for primary carer and further Dad and Partner Pay of up to 2 weeks, both at minimum wage.
• Paid annual influenza vaccination.
• Professional Development Leave for approved training.
• Shift Penalties: afternoon = 114%, night = 116%, Sat = 150%, Sun = 200%,
• Public Holidays = 230% transitioning to 240% 1/7/13 and 250% on 1/7/2014.  Employees can elect to be paid ordinary pay and accrue leave.
• Sleepovers not to be introduced during life of the Agreement.

The Medea Park Association Incorporated Nurses Agreement 2012 has been approved by the Fair Work Commission and came into effect on 3 April 2013.  The nominal expiry date is 31 July 2016.  Changes to conditions include:

• Salary increases of: 3.4% (1/7/2011), 3.6% (1/7/2012), 3.6% (1/7/2013), 3.6% (1/7/2014) and 4% (1/7/2015) with back pay upon approval of Agreement.
• Casual loading cumulative increases of: 22% (1/7/2011), 23% (1/7/2012), 24% (1/7/2013) and 25% (1/7/2014).
• Increase of night shift penalty to 17.5%.
• Entitlement to 2 days paid Compassionate Leave and 3 days Bereavement Leave.
• Uniform provision defined as two tops and one bottom initially and two pieces yearly thereafter.
• Changes to close call provisions including an increase to the minimum payment to 8 hours at the employee’s relevant rate with the first hour calculated at double time.
• Addition of 10 days unpaid Ceremonial Leave provision.
• Addition of Community Service Leave as per National Employment Standards.
• Inclusion of defined Individual Flexibility Arrangement clause.

This Sunday 12 May 2013 nurses around the world are celebrating International Nurses Day (IND).

“This is a day in which the importance and value of nurses is celebrated worldwide,” says Neroli Ellis, Branch Secretary of the Australian Nursing Federation (Tasmanian Branch) (ANF).

“International Nurses Day is celebrated on the birthday of our most famous nurse, Florence Nightingale, in recognition of her contribution to nursing.  Florence changed the face of nursing and was instrumental in implementing the role of the modern nurse. She actively used research and statistics to prove her arguments,” said Mrs Ellis.

Each year IND has a theme and this year the focus is on the ‘Millennium Development Goals,’ eight international development goals that were officially established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000.  These development goals include; Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality rates, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development.”

“The nursing profession, world wide, is taking steps to assist in reaching all eight of the Millennium Development Goals, as clearly demonstrated by the group of LGH Department of Emergency Medicine nurses who established the Care for Africa charity.” says Mrs Ellis.

The Launceston General Hospital is also celebrating its 150^th Birthday with a week full of celebrations starting on Sunday 12 May 2013.  Mrs Ellis will be the keynote speaker at International Nurses Day Breakfast to the Sesquicentenary events on Sunday. ANF is holding other celebrations around the state at both private and public health centres.

“Nurses have achieved so much in recent years in the advancement of health care world wide.   We need to support nurses in their wonderful work and recognise the key differences they make every day to the quality of lifestyle for many Tasmanians.

So on International Nurses Day, give thanks to a nurse you know or who has cared for you.”

ANF (Tas Branch) is taking expressions of interest from members who have an interest in becoming a Branch Council member.   We are particularly keen to have representation from the private and aged care sectors.   ANF encourages any member to consider being part of the decision making body of ANF.

If you want to make a difference, contribute to the nursing debate and be part of setting the direction of nursing in Tasmania, then Branch Council is for you!

Please contact Neroli Ellis on 6223 6777 or neroli@anftas.org if you would like to discuss this process.

The Nurses and Midwives Heads of Agreement 2010 (HoA 2010) includes a term requiring negotiations for a replacement Agreement to begin no later than 31 March 2013.  DHHS has written to ANF requesting the commencement of negotiations for a replacement Agreement.

ANF has informed the Minister and DHHS that we will not commence negotiations for a new EBA until the current entitlements are honoured. Nurses will not be disadvantaged by this arrangement.

There are still a number of significant conditions which have not been honoured in the HoA 2010. Examples of these include the Community Nurse career pathway and direct entry points, Work Value and the implementation of 6.4 FTE of CNE in rural settings.

The DHHS have indicated they wish to roll the current dishonoured entitlements back into the new negotiations, which is completely unacceptable. This is a breach of the Agreement and the DHHS and THO are legally bound through the current Agreement.  ANF has sought the assistance of the Minister’s Office to ensure the Agreement is honoured with the immediate implementation of all agreed entitlements, which will enable all parties to move forward to negotiating the new EBA.

ANF will be surveying members in the near future and state-wide membership meetings will then be held to finalise ANF’s position on the commencement of a new agreement and inclusions in the new Log of Claim.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the ANF Information Centre on 6223 6777, 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area) or email info@anftas.org.

Authorised: Neroli Ellis

Branch Secretary

26 April 2013

Please see the below documents to find important information regarding the transition of SMHS clinical services to Tasmanian Health Organisations.

CEO Announcement

Letter to ANF

Continuing professional development by nurses is both a professional obligation and a regulatory expectation. Continuing professional development is a mandatory registration standard of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and nurses are expected when registering each year to confirm they have completed a minimum of 20hrs per year. For Midwives this is 20hrs per year and for Nurses and Midwives who hold dual registration this is 40hrs per year.  The continuing professional development is expected to be directly relevant to the individual nurses or midwives context of practice. This year at registration a random audit of compliance with this registration standard will commence. Students, first time graduates and non practicing nurses and midwives will be exempt.
The ANF HERC will be conducting CPD training related to this registration standard across Tasmania over the next week, particularly in relation to the development and management of a professional portfolio. For more information click here.

Download FAQs regarding CPD from AHPRA

ANF Members.

You may be aware that Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek and Opposition Health Spokesperson Peter Dutton are on Q & A tonight – and of course the topic for discussion is health in this years election.   Follow this link to submit questions online.  http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

The show starts at 9 30pm, and you will see that a number of questions have already been submitted – quite a few on doctors and one on the grad nurse crisis.  It would be great to get a few more questions posted by nurses.

Members  can also tweet comments during the show, using #qanda.

ANF is preparing a submission in response the Consultation paper reviewing the Poisons Act amendments enabling ECA’s to administer medications. ANF is particularly keen to receive feedback from for Aged Care nurses and ECA’s and encourages you to contact the ANF Information Centre on 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area) or 6223 6777 to provide feedback.

Section 47 Consultation Paper

The International Council of Nurses’ 25th Quadrennial Congress opens in Melbourne on Saturday 18 May.

With four plenary sessions and planty of meetings and workshops for attendees to attend, the program contains plenty of exciting opportunities for all nurses.

Click here for more information.

NMBA Audits Commence THIS Year!!!!

Do you know your CPD requirements for registration?

If not… you need to know BEFORE 1 June 2013

ANF HERC will be running a course helping you to understand your CPD requirements for registration and how to build your CPD portfolio.

Ulverstone: Tuesday 30 April 2013, 4pm-6pm,  Beachway Hotel, 1 Heathcote St

Launceston: Wednesday 1 May 2013, 3:45pm-5:45pm,  The Tramsheds, 4 Invermay Rd

Hobart: Thursday 2 May 2013, 3:45pm-5:45pm, ANF Health Education & Research Centre, 182 Macquarie St

You can bring your own CPD Portfolio folder or get a great deal by bundling a new portfolio with the cost of the course.  CPD Portfolios will also be available for sale on the day $20 for members $40 for non- members.

Head to the ANF Professional Development page to register

Health Workforce Australia (HWA) has just released Health Workforce by Numbers, a report which provides a statistical overview of medical practitioners, nurses and midwives, oral health practitioners, Indigenous health workers and selected allied health workers.

The publication is intended as a ready reference for health workforce planners and other interested people, for understanding the broad characteristics and size of these workforces.  The report draws together information from a range of sources including the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Labour Force Surveys, the National Health Workforce Dataset and the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

Health Workforce Australia’s (HWA) goal is to build a sustainable health workforce for Australia. A core component in achieving this goal is building the evidence – providing the evidence base for health workforce reform through planning, research and evaluation.

Health Workforce by Numbers outlines that in 2011 Tasmania had 1187 Full Time Equivalent nurses per 100 000 population which is higher than most states and territories. The lowest figures were in New South Wales where there are 949 FTE nurses per 100,000 population in New South Wales; contrast this with 1406 FTE nurses per 100,000 population in the Northern Territory which has come in at the highest level.

Interestingly the number of students completing courses for initial registration as a nurse in Australia continues to rise from 6093 in 2005 to 9950 in 2011. a nurse

To view this report, please click here.

Health Workforce Australia (HWA) has released the Nursing Retention and Productivity Consultation Paper (www.hwaconnect.net.au/nwrp) to seek input into HWA’s work on nationally coordinated action to improve nurse retention and productivity.

The paper is a preliminary output of this work and has been prepared after initial consultation with stakeholders; including those from nursing, other related health professions, government, employers, regulatory and accreditation bodies, educators, industry and professional organisations.

The paper has been released as part of an ongoing process of consultation and the next phase will include a workshop with key stakeholders in April 2013. The feedback received on this paper, along with an analysis of outcomes from the workshop, will inform the next stage of the project.

Submissions are invited until 30 April, 2013. They can be lodged by mail, email or by completing the online form. Consultation questions have been included under each theme in the paper. Respondents are invited to not only respond to these questions using the feedback form, but also provide comment and feedback on any broader related issues considered important by the respondent.

The material from all phases of the consultation process, along with a more comprehensive review of evidence, will be considered during the study and a final report with options for nationally-coordinated action will be produced in the second half of 2013.

For further information on the study, please contact the study project manager, Ian Brownwood, at ian.brownwood@hwa.gov.au.

ANF has developed a submission to the Joint Select Committee Inquiry: Preventative Health Care, which focuses on the current inequalities in major social determinants and proposals for reforms to ensure integrated and collaborative preventative health care model. Thank you to ANF primary health care members  for their input. Please see the submission below.

ANF Submission – Joint Select Committee Enquiry: Preventative Health Care

Public comment is invited on proposed changes to pregnancy termination laws in Tasmania.  The Department of Health and Human Services has released for consultation the draft Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill setting out a revised legal framework.

Please find below the draft Bill, an information paper, and an invitation to comment.

Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Draft Bill 2013

Information Paper relating to the Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Draft Bill 2013

Invitation to comment on the Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Draft Bill 2013

All comments must be received by 5pm Friday 22 March 2013.

Over 340,000 nurses and midwives across Australia are due to renew their general or non-practising registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (National Board) by 31 May 2013.

Under the National Law¹, all registered nurses and midwives are responsible for renewing their registration on time each year.

On behalf of the National Board, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) will contact nurses and midwives individually about their registration renewal. The quickest and easiest way to renew your registration is online.

More than 99.5 per cent of nurses and midwives have provided AHPRA with an email address. However, over six per cent of emails bounce back undelivered.

The National Board urges all nurses and midwives to ensure contact details, including your email address and mobile phone number, are current. Also make sure that the name you use to register with is your legal name. You should also check to make sure that emails from AHPRA.gov.au do not go to your SPAM mailbox, otherwise important renewal reminders may be lost.

Nurses and midwives can check their registration details and expiry date on the national register. The National Board also uses email addresses to send regular newsletters and important communication.

To update your contact details visit www.ahpra.gov.au, go to the bottom of the home page and under Services for Practitioners click on Update Contact Details. Use your user ID and secure password, and follow the prompts.

If you do not have your user ID, complete an online enquiry form (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency – Make an Enquiry) and select ‘Online Access’ as the category type.

Keep a look out for the AHPRA reminders to renew as confirmation that online renewal is open.

Make sure you renew on time because, under the National Law, there is no option for AHPRA or the National Board to renew your registration after it has lapsed, without you having to complete a new application for registration.

For more information

• Visit www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au under Contact us to lodge an online enquiry form

• For registration enquiries: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 3 8708 9001 (overseas callers)

• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200

1 The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law as in force in each state and territory (the National Law).

Aged Care Compact can be the start of higher wages

ANF has welcomed the Gillard Government’s $1.2 billion Aged Care Compact announcement today to increase the wages of private and not-for-profit aged care nurses and carers over the next three years.

Read the Federal ANF media release

Read more about the Aged Care Compact announcement

The announcement is the culmination of ANF’s national Because We Care campaign which began almost four years ago. The Aged Care Compact provides some certainty as ANF (Tas Branch) begins enterprise bargaining on behalf of members employed at many aged care facilities where enterprise agreements are soon to expire including Baptcare Karingal, One Care, Queen Victoria, Huon Eldercare and Presbyterian Care.

Below is a summary of how the new Aged Care Compact will work to increase the low wages of aged care nurses and personal care workers.

Why are aged care nurses paid less?

Up until the 1990s, nurses in private aged care earned a similar amount to nurses in public acute care and private hospitals. Since the late 1990s enterprise bargaining became the only way to secure real wage increases, and awards stagnated.

In the public acute and mental health sectors, we bargain with the State Government to secure improved wages and conditions. Large scale industrial action in conjunction with bargaining has seen significant gains for our members in those sectors, usually matched by the private hospital sector. In private aged care, the gains have been less, resulting in significant disparity between what acute sector nurses are paid, compared to private aged care nurses.

Enterprise bargaining has not been as successful in private aged care. There are numerous reasons for this. The ANF enjoys strong membership numbers in the public sector and private hospital sectors. In private aged care, the vast majority of nurses choose to be ANF members,however in the personal care workforce union membership is low.  Misinformation campaigns are common where personal care workers are told they cannot join ANF, which is simply untrue and indeed thousands of personal care workers are already members of the ANF. Everyone in aged care knows that the nursing workforce – nurses and personal care workers – will be strongest if in one union.

With the workforce in Tasmania broken up across some 70 aged care facilities, operated by over 20 different employers, bargaining is complex and very resource intensive. ANF has the resources to achieve this, and only needs the support of nurses and personal care workers to succeed. In this bargaining round, we have the added benefit of the Gillard Government’s recently announced ‘workforce compact’.

What is the compact?

This long awaited action on the problem of low wages in aged care is crucial in an industry which determines the quality of life of over 250,000 older Australians – a number which will rapidly increase in the coming years. Calls for action have been made by several Productivity Commission reports, the last being the Caring for Older Australians Report in 2011, which set the platform for the Gillard Government’s aged care reform package Living Longer. Living Better. in April 2012. The compact is the process by which employers can receive the additional funding.

What the ‘compact’ means for you

Primarily the compact allows your employer to access additional Commonwealth funding to improve wages for nurses, personal carers and support staff. It will be up to you, and the ANF, to encourage employers to take up this opportunity. The process applies differently depending on whether your EBA has expired and due for renegotiation, or whether your EBA is yet to expire.

What if my EBA has expired?

If your EBA has already expired, then your employer needs to negotiate with the ANF for a new EBA that, at a minimum (in order to attract the compact funding), contains the following:

• the agreement rates for personal care workers (and support staff) must be at least 3% above the Aged Care Award 2010 rate. This can be phased in over one year for PCWs/AINs and support staff
• the agreement rates for enrolled nurses must be at least 8.5% above the Nurses Award 2010. This can be phased in over two years
• the agreement rates for registered nurses must be at least 12.65% above the Nurses Award 2010. This can be phased in over three years
• a clause stating that if the Fair Work Commission wage increase exceeds the employer funded wage increase (less the compact increase) that the Fair Work Commission  increase will apply
• in addition the varied or new agreement must contain a number of clauses agreed in negotiations with the employers that are not in the modern awards.  These include:
• a workload management clause
• a disciplinary clause that allows for a system of warnings and a right to representation
• an occupational health and safety clause
• a general training clause; and
• provisions allowing a casual worker to convert to permanent employment or for a part-time worker to have their hours reviewed to reflect actual hours worked.

What if my EBA is still current?

The compact also contemplates employers with current agreements varying those agreements to access the compact money. Again those employers are only required to do this if they want the additional funding. The EBA would need to be officially varied through the Fair Work Commission, and include as a minimum:

• a wage table from the current EBA, with additional columns reflecting at least a 1% additional wage increase on top of employer funded increases in each of 2013, 2014 and 2015 , and a 0.5% increase in 2016.
• analysis to ensure the existing wage increases in the current EBA are at least 2.75% per annum, or the Fair Work annual wage review increase, whichever is higher.

In addition, the varied agreement must contain a number of clauses agreed in negotiations with the employers that are not in the modern awards.  These include:

• a workload management clause
• a disciplinary clause that allows for a system of warnings and a right to representation
• an occupational health and safety clause
• a general training clause; and
• provisions allowing a casual worker to convert to permanent employment or for a part-time worker to have their hours reviewed to reflect actual hours worked.

A Residential Aged Care provider that is also a home care provider will need to extend the coverage of the RAC agreement to their employees in home care.

Where to from here?

While there is no deadline to sign up to the Compact, only those employers who have an enterprise agreement in place by 1 November 2013 will have the money back paid to 1 July 2013, when the first increases should flow to employees. Given the Federal election later this year, and the absence of any commitment from the Liberal Party should they win government, it is critical that we act as soon as possible.

ANF will be actively engaging with all aged care employers to ensure these welcome initiatives are implemented as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Neroli Ellis

Branch Secretary

Australian Nursing Federation (Tasmanian Branch)

ANF Health Education & Research Centre, Hobart Thursday 18 April 2013 8.30am—4.30pm

Key Note Address- Dr Peter Orpin The Older Person as a full citizen: “caring for” or ”caring with” Person Centered Approaches

• Changing role of the Registered and Enrolled Nurse in RAC’s
• ‘’IMNPACT’’ – Aged Care Nurse Practitioner Trials
• Palliation in Dementia -Supporting the person – Dr Paul Dunne
• Health Care in a Changing World: Cure, Restoration of function or Palliation? –Dr Jane Tolman

Risk Management and Clinical Care

• Medication Management – Adverse event reporting
• Misunderstanding incontinence, Enteral feeding, Wound management

DOWNLOAD FULL PROGRAM

COST

$155 ANF Members                     $195 Non Members                      Lunch provided

To register  using PayPal click here.

Alternatively, download a hard copy of the registration form here

Registrations close Friday 12 April 2013.

ANF, Staff representatives and Management met Wednesday13 February 2013 to progress discussion regarding changes to the operating theatre work patterns.

The outcomes of this meeting are as follows:

• Variation in work pattern: ANF  has reviewed a draft contract of employment outlining variation in work pattern and have asked for the following inclusions:

- On call: Will be voluntary for those employees who have not previously been required to work on-call.  Following consultation and mutual agreement by an employee, working on-call will be included.

- Define ‘Day worker as working Monday – Friday’ between hours of 7.00am to 5.30pm.

- ‘Payment or accrual of public holidays as per the Award’.

• Accrual of public holidays: Employees must elect whether to accrue leave (no loading) or payment on rostered days off. If the election form (available on the intranet) is not submitted the default will be payment for the public holiday.
• Trial Roster: A roster to trial 0830-1730 shifts will commence on 17 March for a two month period, with ongoing evaluation. Allocation of cleaning duties and portfolio time has been considered in the development of this roster. Retrospective data has shown that 95% OT sessions are completed on time. Ongoing data collection for monitoring will continue.
• Overtime: rates apply for day workers after 1730 (even if part of normal hours) unless there is mutual agreement as per the Award to change the spread of hours.
• Lunch Break: ANF highlighted that a 30 minute lunch break is an entitlement as per the Award and is not negotiable. Management committed to ensuring this is achieved.

• Rostered 5 hour shift and overtime: If rostered a 5 hour shift to fulfill contracted hours and an employee is asked to work extra time, the extra time is to be paid as overtime.
• On-call versus Overtime: When an employee on-call is asked to work beyond their rostered shift time into the on-call period this is considered a call back. If you agree to stay it is essential that you verbalise to your manager that this is a call back and claim it on your timesheet. This position was accepted and unanimously endorsed by ANF members at the membership meeting on 21 February 2013.
• Security: OT management staff will remain on duty until 1700 each day to support staff and ensure security.
• Drug Cupboard keys after hours: Discussion continues to resolve problems identified with accessing Drug Cupboard keys when called in after hours.
• Holidays for Shift Workers: ANF is negotiating with Management for the extra week of leave to be granted to staff for the current year who have been shift workers working weekends and may not have worked the full 20 weekend shifts.  ANF will keep members informed.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the ANF Information Centre on 6223 6777, 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area) or email info@anftas.org.

UPDATE 25 February 2013: ANF TAS BRANCH PHONE LINES ARE NOW ONLINE.  ALL CALLS CAN ONCE AGAIN BE DIRECTED TO 6223 6777, 1800 001 241.  PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE BELOW MOBILE PHONE NUMBER.  THANK YOUR FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the ANF Information Centre on 6223 6777, 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area) or email info@anftas.org.

UPDATE: ANF TAS BRANCH PHONE LINES WILL BE DOWN UNTIL COB TODAY 22 FEBRUARY 2013.  PLEASE DIRECT ANY URGENT PHONE CALLS TO 0428 323 441

ANF (Tas Branch) would like to advise that our phone lines are currently down due to a technical issue.

We are working hard to get this issue corrected.

Please keep checking this space for status updates on this issue.

For any URGENT industrial enquiries please email info@anftas.org.

We apologise for any inconvenience cause by this matter.

Australian Nursing Federation (Tas Branch) appeared in the Tasmanian Industrial Commission today in relation to the classification reviews.

To date, 564 Intention to Review Forms have been received and due to a lack of resourcing, only 13 applications have been assessed.

The outcomes of the conciliation are as follows:

1. ANF will meet with HR Job Design to review application of the classification descriptors to date and ensure group applications are prioritised within a week. One group application has over 100 nurses linked to the group.
2. Any successful applications will roll out to all nurses who are undertaking that role across the State, regardless of the date the review is finalised.
3. Nurse Managers must ensure the Statement of Duties (SOD) is reviewed and updated to reflect current roles prior to reclassification by Job Design and advertisement. If this is not undertaken, the old SOD will be used and the job will be advertised at the same classification rate.
4. DHHS has committed to employ three FTE for the purpose of the Nurses’ Classification Reviews.
5. DHHS will notify all senior managers to ensure relevant steps/reviews are within agreed timeframes.
6. If you have received notification that your application has not been successful, please contact ANF if you wish to seek an external review through the Tasmanian Industrial Commission. This must be lodged within 14 days of notification of the review outcome.
7. ANF encourages all members intending to lodge an Intention to Review Form prior by Friday 8 March 2013 which is the date this process closes. Nurses will then have 28 days to complete their application.

A further conference is scheduled in the Tasmanian Industrial Commission on Tuesday 19 February 2013. Please contact your ANF Representative for further information or the ANF Information Centre on 6223 6777, 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area) or email info@anftas.org.

Neroli Ellis

Branch Secretary

13 February 2013

2013 Marks 150 years of the Launceston General Hospital, and there will be events happening from 12-19 May to celebrate the LGH Sesquicentenary.

Please find below links to the program of events for the week, along with the program and registration form for the Medical History and Research Seminar, which will run from Wednesday Day 15 – Friday 17 May 2013.

LGH Sesquicentenary Program of Events

LGH Sesquicentenary Medical History and Research Seminar

The Launceston General Hospital is also releasing a book to celebrate this milestone, ‘Launceston General Hospital: Celebrating 150 Years of Caring’. It focuses on the history of the LGH from 1963 to the present day, a continuation of Dr Clifford Craig’s book, Launceston General Hospital: First Hundred Years 1863-1963.

There will be a limited early release of 250 copies, so if you would like a copy please download the pre-order form below.

LGH Sesquicentenary Book pre-order form

As part of the Tasmanian Unions’ Fire Appeal ANF members are invited to attend BBQ’s to help raise much needed funds for victims of the Tasmanian bushfires. Details for these events are as follows:

Burnie
Date: Tuesday 15 January 2013
Time: 11.30am – 1.30pm
Venue: NWRH Burnie Campus Cafeteria Courtyard

Mersey
Date: Wednesday 16 January 2013
Time: 11:30am – 1:30pm
Venue: Mersey Community Hospital Open Grass Area

Hobart
Date: Thursday 17 January 2013
Time: 11:30am – 1:30pm
Venue: Back of RHH Cafeteria

Launceston
Date: Wednesday 23 January 2013
Time: 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Venue: Civic Square

All proceeds will be given to the Red Cross Tasmanian Bushfires 2013 Appeal. The Unions Fire Appeal has been registered with the Red Cross.

LGH Ward 5B are holding a morning tea on Monday the 21  January 2013 from 10am onwards, in order to raise money for those who have been affected by the devastating bush fires across Tasmania.

All LGH staff are invited to go along and help raise money for a very worthy cause.

When:    Monday 21^st January

Where:   Ward 5B (Room 3-6)

Time:     10am onwards

Why:     Raise much needed funds for those affected by the fires in Tasmania.

Price:     $1 per treat

Any cash donations great or small would be greatly received in assisting these communities to re-build.

We wish to inform members that for reasons outside of our control the ANF State Cinema ticket price has increased from $11.50 to $12.00 each.

Other tickets available are:

Village Cinema Adults -$9.50

Village Cinema Child -$7.50

Village Cinema Gold Class -$29.00

Metro Cinema Adults – $12.00

Metro Cinema Child – $8.50

CMax Cinema Adults – $12.50

CMax Cinema Child – $9.50

*All ticket prices are subject to change without notice.

Attached below is the Australian Nursing Federation (Tasmanian Branch) cost saving initiatives for the State Government’s 2013/14 budget. Also below is the Australian Nursing Federation (Tasmanian Branch) Proposed Reallocation of the Federal Funding Package.

Cost Saving Initiatives

Proposed Reallocation of the Federal Funding Package

Neroli Ellis, Branch Secretary, will be holding a media conference regarding these submissions on Thursday 20 December at 12.30 pm in the board room of the ANF office at 182 Macquarie Street Hobart.

Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) has launched a second edition of Hope & Hurdles, the free and comprehensive information resource for women with secondary breast cancer.

Originally developed in 2007, the second edition includes new and updated information and a series of optional booklets that women can order according to their individual needs. This allows women to access information relevant to them when they want it. Hope & Hurdles also includes brochures, magazines and CDs that offer information, support and hope for women and those around them.

In developing the resource, BCNA heard directly from doctors, oncologists, nurses and other health professionals, as well as women living with secondary breast cancer. Women made suggestions about things that helped them and their family and friends to deal with a diagnosis of secondary breast cancer.

BCNA CEO Maxine Morand said the updated Hope & Hurdles will provide reliable and relevant information for the estimated 2,000 women who are diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in Australia each year.

“We believe that the right information helps women make informed decisions and gives them a greater feeling of control over treatment and wellbeing,” Maxine said.

Women with secondary breast can order the new optional items when ordering their Hope & Hurdles pack, or at any later time when they may want them. Women who received the first version of Hope & Hurdles are also welcome to order the second edition.

Health professionals are also welcome to order Hope & Hurdles on behalf of their patients.

I am thrilled with the new Hope & Hurdles and especially the new booklets. I have secondaries in the bone and learnt so much that I had not been told by my medical team. Hope & Hurdles has allowed me to take control, not feel so panicked and move through this process with a sense of calm. – Sue, Vic

For more information visit:  www.bcna.org.au/hope-hurdles-pack

A new poll launched today (Tuesday 4 December) is asking nurses, midwives and members of the public if the Gillard Government is doing enough to solve Australia’s nursing crisis – with a predicted shortage of more than 109,000 nurses by 2025.

The poll is part of the Australian Nursing Federation’s (ANF) ongoing national campaign “Stop passing the buck, Australia’s nursing grads need jobs”, which is calling on the Federal Government to find solutions to the growing shortage of nurses and midwives across the country.

The online poll poses two questions:

1. Should the Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek do more to fix the graduate nurse crisis?

2. Should the Prime Minister waive HECS fees for nurse graduates who accept employment in areas of need?

“There is a growing shortage of nurses and midwives across Australia and it’s only going to get worse,” ANF Federal Secretary, Lee Thomas, said today.

“Unless this is addressed now, safe patient care will be compromised and it will be the sick and the vulnerable who will suffer.

“That’s why the ANF, as Australia’s largest health union, is calling on the Federal Government to work with State and Territory Governments to find solutions to the nursing crisis by funding a range of strategies which will ensure employment of graduate nurses and midwives and also importantly deliver the ongoing promotion of safe patient care.”

The Stop passing the buck, Australia’s nursing grads need jobs campaign has so far resulted in more than 2300 emails to politicians, including 800 to Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek with 2000 community members signing up to show their support.

Ms Thomas added: “We want to hear from ANF members as well as the public about who should fix Australia’s nursing crisis and how it could be done.”

The poll will run for two weeks. To take part, go to www.anf.org.au and follow the prompts.

The Premier launched the Family Violence Workplace policy for Tasmanian public servants 0n 20 November 2012. Media release at link below.

http://www.premier.tas.gov.au/media_room/media_releases/launch_of_family_violence_workplace_policy_for_tasmanian_public_servants

Also, the Hon Julie Collins, Australian Government Minister for the Status of Women, launched a new domestic violence toolkit to support women at work, which has been developed by the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse and funded by the Commonwealth. The toolkit – Keeping you and your job safe: Information for workers experiencing family violence can be downloaded at www.dvandwork.unsw.edu.au (go to ‘worker information’)

You may also be interested in a video (YouTube clip) developed by Unions Tas entitled Family Violence is a Workplace Issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3A4oYXv8yw

The Online Clinical Simulation for Nurses training room offers 3D simulated learning for clinical procedures and currently consists of 32 modules. Each module teaches a different procedure through an interactive simulation, accompanied by a step-by-step text with hyperlinks, a video demonstration, a 3D model of the anatomy encountered during the procedure and a quiz.

Access to each module is for a term of one month. During this time you will have access to each module purchased 24/7. On expiration of each module a message will appear in your ‘bookshelf’ area on the website notifying you of the expiration. You may repurchase any module at any time.

Pricing:
ANF, NSWNA and QNU members pay only $10 per module (for a term of one month)

Non-members pay $15 per module (for a term of one month)

All the training modules in the Australian Nursing Federation’s suite of 3-D simulated education programs have been endorsed by the ANF. On completion of each module a Simulation Summary Report advising you of your simulation test score and quiz score, along with the time it took you to complete each module, will be available in your Logbook, which can be accessed from the top left drop down menu. This report is printable and can be retained as evidence of completion of the training modules.

Contact Jodie Davis ANF Federal Education Officer for further information.

Following the release of the Adapting to Climate Change in Tasmania Issues Paper earlier this month, the Tasmanian Climate Change Office will hold round tables during late November and early December to directly engage with key stakeholders and industry.

Join this forum to share your ideas

The Tasmanian Climate Change Office invites you, or your nominated representative, to a discussion on Human Health and Vulnerable Communities and the risks and opportunities that our changing climate will bring.

This will be one of several round tables of around 15 participants focusing on the adaptation priority areas identified in the Issues Paper.

These sessions will consider key issues and how we can adapt with a focus on strategies and actions the Government can take to facilitate adaptation in Tasmania in this priority area.

The round table will be held on Wednesday, 12 December 2012 at Training Room, Level 11, 10 Murray Street, Hobart from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Issues to be discussed

Through the round table we will discuss:

• the risks and opportunities this priority area faces in adapting to changes in Tasmania’s climate; and
• action the State Government can take to address these risks and opportunities, in the short, medium or long term.

Next steps

Feedback collected from these sessions will help shape an adaptation plan, which will be incorporated into the Government’s broader 2020 climate change strategy to be released next year.  The broader strategy will consider short, medium and long term action to reduce the State’s greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to our changing climate.

RSVP

Please confirm your interest in joining the forum by Monday, 19 November 2012 by email to marie.hassan@dpac.tas.gov.au or by phone to 6232 7173.

The Soundscape Festival is being held on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 November at Hobart’s iconic Princes Wharf 1.

The organisers have given ANF free weekend passes to give away to members. We have five (5) double passes and five (5) single passes up for grabs.

If you would like to be in the running to win one of these passes, please enter your name, phone number and email address in our entry form.

Entries close at 1.30pm on Wednesday 14 November, and winners will be drawn at random at 2.00pm. Winners will be notified by phone after the draw and will need to be able to collect the tickets from the Hobart ANF Office during opening hours (8.30-5.00 Thursday or Friday).

*This competition is open only to ANF Tasmanian Branch members, and membership will be verified before winners are contacted. Winners are drawn at random and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the drawing of names.

The Soundscape Festival is being held on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 November at Hobart’s iconic Princes Wharf 1.

The organisers have contacted ANF and offered a discounted rate on tickets to ANF Members, available by purchasing online with a special code. The discount allows ANF Members to purchase a weekend pass for the price of one day, a saving of $20 and allowing access to the full festival for just $89.

If you would like to take advantage of this exclusive offer, log into the member’s only section below and follow the link to book tickets using the code provided.

The Commission has been established to provide advice on health system improvements in Tasmania to ensure sustainability into the future. The Commission will also have a role in monitoring the implementation of a $325 million Tasmanian Health Assistance Package to improve health services for all Tasmanians. More information can be found on the Commission website: www.tasmaniahealthcommission.gov.au.

Please find attached a ‘Fact Sheet’ that outlines the role of the Commission and provides details of the upcoming public consultation forums.

The Commission is hosting these public consultations to provide a forum for community members, including healthcare professionals, to consider opportunities to improve the efficiency of health care delivery in their local area. These consultation forums will provide an early opportunity for community members to learn about the role of the Commission and to raise important local health issues.

Please register your interest in attending a forum by Friday 9 November by completing the registration form on the Commission website: www.tasmaniahealthcommission.gov.au

The Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) has updated its position statement on the safety of insulin glargine (Lantus), finally closing the books on the link between insulin glargine and cancer.

Please find attached a statement from Sanofi welcoming this updated position, as well as comments from Associate Professor Michael d’Emden, Vice President of the ADS, on this new position.

Please also find attached a backgrounder on Lantus safety for your information.

The Australian Nursing Federation (Tas Branch) is concerned that the majority of graduating nurses have not been offered employment in Tasmania. While interstate nurses have been offered graduate positions in Tasmania, there are some Tasmanian nurses who have to move interstate. Offers for most graduate positions have been posted today.

316 nurses (229 Nov/87 Feb) will graduate from the University of Tasmania (UTAS) in the coming months and yet the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) are only offering around 100 graduate positions, most of which are part time. Before the budget cuts, 179 Full Time Equivalent DHHS graduate positions were offered, which is a more appropriate level to meet the future workforce demands.

“The budget cuts have slashed the number of graduate nurses being offered employment by over half,” states Mrs Neroli Ellis, Branch Secretary.

“This short term strategy will have dire impacts on the future ability of our healthcare system to cope with growing demands and an ageing nursing workforce who are entering a  retirement phase over the next four years.”

Whitney Bowerman is one graduate who missed out on a graduate position this year, despite achieving high academic success.

“Many of us entered nursing due to the promise of employment and the opportunity to gain work in any area of nursing that we wished, instead we have found the exact opposite,” states Whitney.

“I’ve worked as an enrolled nurse for three years now and worked so hard to achieve high grades throughout Uni … Sadly despite all this the Tasmanian Government has chosen to let nursing students, the nursing workforce and the people of Tasmania down by failing to see the value of the continuing health workforce.”

Many nurses apply to undertake their graduate year interstate as they know there will be very few opportunities here in Tasmania.

“We are losing a whole generation of nurses which will lead to a hard recovery, as enticing nurses and their families back to Tasmania in the current climate is very difficult,” says Mrs Ellis.

“We are seeing an incredible drain of nurses leaving the State since the budget cuts, with around 30 transferring interstate every month as they are frustrated with the shortages and the impacts on patient care.”

Recent research from Health Workforce Australia reveals a fast approaching nurse shortage in Tasmania and Australia. Assuming every graduate is employed, Tasmania will still have a shortage by 2016. With the current trend of only employing 100 not 379 graduates per year, this shortage will be with us by next year.

For further information, please contact Neroli Ellis on 0408 037 589

-end-

Public Sector unions have begun a campaign today to have proposed changes to Tasmania’s State Service Act either amended or rejected because key accountability and transparency mechanisms have been excluded.

The government intends to radically amend the State Service Act 2000 to implement the recommendations of an external review by George O’Farrell.  Mr. O’Farrell recommends the abolishment of the role of the State Service Commissioner, the transfer of all employer powers to the Minister and the appointment of an independent, external person to conduct a regular, prescribed review into how the Minister conducts the employer power.  The State Service Amendment Bill 2012 tabled in the House of Assembly yesterday abolishes the State Service Commissioner and transfers the powers to the Minister but fails to appoint an independent person to undertake a regular review.

“The government has accepted all the recommendations that give it greater power but has rejected the recommendations that put external checks and balances in place”, said CPSU General Secretary Tom Lynch.  “Without a regular report to parliament by an external person the government is only accountable to itself when it comes to public sector employment”, said Mr Lynch.

ANF State Secretary Neroli Ellis said “This government has an appalling record in areas such as fixed term employment and these changes will mean it can continue to treat nurses unfairly and there will be no one continually watching and reporting on what it is doing”.

AEU State Manager Chris Lane said “For the government to accept the recommendations of an external review and then reject a key accountability measure undermines the whole process and calls into question its motives”.

A high level of external oversight is particularly important in public sector governance to ensure the public sector is serving the community rather than the government of the day.

“Without an independent person reviewing how the government of the day is utilising the employer powers and reporting to parliament there is a risk the public sector becomes politicised or employment decisions lack fairness,” said HACSU Assistant Secretary Tim Jacobson.  “The people of Tasmania should not accept changes that mean the government is less accountable or open to scrutiny,” said Mr. Jacobson.

For comment contact:

Tom Lynch 0418 412 766                    Tim Jacobson 0419 331 936
Neroli Ellis 0408 037 589                    Chris Lane       0409 349 501

Letter to Brian Wightman MP

The Australian Nursing Federation (Tasmanian Branch) today joins the Tasmanian Parliament in unreservedly apologising, on behalf of the nursing and midwifery professions, to the mothers and fathers who had their sons and daughters taken from them for adoption, and to the people who were adopted, for the part played by nurses and midwives in giving effect to this unacceptable policy through their employment at government and non-government hospitals in Tasmania.

Midwives and nurses were central caregivers of women during labour and birth, and through such employment, were also involved in removing babies from their mothers in cases of forced adoption.

One midwife who was working at the time recalls, “There were pressures from society and social services for young girls to give up their babies. We did the best we could to look after them. It is just how things were in those days.”

While the ANF was not actively involved in the policy at the time it was in effect, we acknowledge that the organisation did not take a critical view of the practice.

“Nursing and midwifery have made great strides as professions over the decades.  Advocacy for justice, human rights and ethical treatment are central to contemporary nursing practice.  Nurses and midwives in Australia today are strong, capable, educated professionals who abide by a high standard of ethics.” says Neroli Ellis, ANF Tasmanian Branch Secretary.

“Nurses and midwives pride themselves on being advocates for patients and clients and, as a result of unjust practices such as this; there is today a strong awareness amongst nurses, midwives and ANF of the need to stand against such injustice. No government or employer should force a nurse or midwife to do something that violates the rights of people in such a way and no nurse or midwife should violate the rights of anyone in such a way.  Thankfully, nurses and midwives now have the professional standing and recognition to refuse such directives.”

The ANF deeply regrets harm done to everyone affected by forced adoption, and we call upon all other organisations, professions and governments to issue a public apology for the wrongs of the past.

Governments must also commit resources, such as free counselling, support, information and family-search services.  The ANF supports further legislative and regulatory reform, such as integrated birth certificates, to make amends for taking away identities and family ties.

The ANF Tasmanian Branch is the largest nursing and midwifery organisation in Tasmania and has been the industrial and professional organisation representing Tasmanian nurses and midwives since 1924. It currently represents more than 6,300 nurses and midwives throughout the State.

For further information, please contact Neroli Ellis on 0408 037 589

Following discussions with the DHHS there is agreement for the GROUP REVIEW PROCESS and to EXTEND the closing date for submission of for ALL (individual and group) translation classification review to 4 NOVEMBER 2012, if you have submitted your intention to review form by 7 October 2012.

Group Process:

1. One (1) application may be submitted.
2. All applicants are required to complete the first page with their individual personal details of the Translation Classification Review Form.
3. All applicants are required to sign the group application.
4. Group application has to be submitted to their relevant Manager.

Below are the groups that have been identified within each area;

THO – S	THO – N	THO – NW	SMHS/State-wide	CHAPS/State-wide
Diabetes Educators	Diabetes Educators	Diabetes Educators	Community – CAT, ACMHSN, Adult Com Health, &  CAMHS-CNS	Nurses & Home Visitor Nurse
Theatre	Theatre	Theatre
Day Procedure Unit	Day Procedure Unit
Palliative Care	Palliative Care	Palliative Care
Renal	Renal
Oncology		Oncology
DEM	DEM
ICU	ICU
	Maternity	Maternity
Infection Control
Research Nurse
NPICU

ANF encourages nurses who have been identified as a group review, to collaboratively work with their colleagues in developing their Statement of Duties and the classification review documentation.

Please check the ANF website for more information.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the ANF Information Centre on 6223 6777, 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area) or email info@anftas.org.

Authorised: Neroli Ellis

Branch Secretary

17 October 2012

12 October 2012

The Hon. Michelle O’Byrne

Ground Floor, Public Buildings

53 St John Street

LAUNCESTON   TAS   7250

Email:  Michelle.obyrne@parliament.tas.gov.au

Dear Minister

Australian Nursing Federation (Tas Branch) has serious public safety concerns with the intent to dilute the criteria for an “approved psychiatric nurse” in the draft Mental Health Bill 2012.

The main concern is that removing the requirement to have a specialised mental health qualification, would open up the risk that general nurses may be deemed (due to budget cuts) to exercise all powers conferred under the Act, which includes ordering seclusion and restraint of mental health clients.

The definition under the current Act defines “approved psychiatric nurse means a psychiatric nurse who is approved by the controlling authority of an approved hospital or the Chief Forensic Psychiatrist to exercise powers conferred under this Act” and

“Psychiatric nurse means a registered nurse who is qualified to practice psychiatric nursing;”.

A nurse qualified to practice psychiatric nursing ensures that these nurses have a specialised tertiary graduate or post graduate diploma mental health (psychiatric) nursing qualification or prior to the introduction of tertiary education, a hospital based certificate course equivalent to the above.

The new amendment removes the requirement for a nurse to be qualified in mental health and to have the appropriate post graduation specialist qualification and now deems experience only for a general registered nurse to be empowered under the Bill.

As part of the implementation process, consultation with key stakeholders will determine experience required however, this is not acceptable, as it is the theoretical knowledge which is gained through post graduate studies which is the minimal requirement for this level of decision making.  Additionally, years of experience does not necessarily equate to capacity and how will this be determined to ensure the public are protected.

Whilst ANF supports registered nurses working in mental health, ANF’s position is that the additional level of responsibility and accountability must be protected through the attainment of the relevant specialised additional qualification.

It is noted that there is no dilution of the medical staff qualifications to have these powers conferred and they continue to be required to meet the specialist qualification as Authorised Psychiatrist or Authorised Medical Officer.

ANF requests that the Bill be reworded and amended to ensure the safety and protection of mental health clients and the experience be in addition to the relevant qualification and not in lieu of the qualification.  ANF is happy to be consulted regarding the appropriate level of qualification which should also be included in the definition.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if further clarification is required.

Yours sincerely

Neroli Ellis

Branch Secretary

cc:       Jeremy Rockliff, Shadow Minister of Health

Paul O’Halloran, Greens Spokesperson for Health

Coral Muskett, Mental Health Director of Nursing

Fiona Stoker, Chief Nurse

Cecily Pollard, Tas Chair, ACMHN

ANF Mental Health Reps

ANF would like to provide further clarification regarding update flyer dated 2 October 2012

GRADE 3 – IN-CHARGE

The Grade 4 is a personal classification and hence there is no cap to the number of positions in each practice area.  However, it was always intended that there should be sufficient numbers of Grade 4 and/or Grade 5 nurses to be ‘in-charge’ per shift.

At the Tasmanian Industrial Commission (TIC) discussion on 27 September 2012, the DHHS agreed that a Grade 3 nurse should not be required to be in-charge where there is a shortage of Grade 4 or 5 nurses, and will have the right to refuse to be ‘in-charge’.

This was to ensure that it did not become common practice for Grade 3 nurses to be in-charge by default due to the insufficient numbers of Grade 4 or 5 nurses.

ANF supports Grade 3 nurses to be in-charge by mutual agreement for the following reasons:

(1)      Professional development needs

(2)      On infrequent or one off occasions where there is no Grade 4 or Grade 5 rostered.

ANF’s advice remains that if Grade 3 nurses are regularly required to be in-charge due to insufficient numbers of Grades 4 and or 5, then a NHpPD Grievance should be completed to address the inadequate skill mix and lack of Grade 4 or 5 nurses.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the ANF Information Centre on 6223 6777, 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area) or email info@anftas.org.

Authorised: Neroli Ellis

Branch Secretary

5 October 2012

The ANF has had discussions with the DHHS and has been advised that the following would occur following the closing date of 7 October 2012 for the first of the Intentions to Review applications.

8 October 2012: the DHHS will commence collating and assessing the applications.

10 October 2012:

(1) ANF will be meeting with the DHHS to identify the applications which would fit into the criteria of ‘groups’ so that Statement of Duties (SoD) can be reviewed.

(2) A decision will be made whether the SoDs will be grouped either regionally or state-wide.

Where a group of employees with similar position characteristics have individually submitted an Intention to Review Form, these may be processed as a group application.

(3) Time frames will be decided regarding the following:

(a)   Notification to employees if their application is considered as a grouping.

(b)   The process to progress the applications.

Please check the ANF website for more information.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the ANF Information Centre on 6223 6777, 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area) or email info@anftas.org.

Authorised: Neroli Ellis

Branch Secretary

5 October 2012

The National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce – which outline the knowledge, skills and attitiudes required of key professionals working in mental health contexts – were developed in 2002 and are now due for review.

A consultation session to reveiw the Practice Standards will be held in Hobart on Wednesday 24 October (9:30am – 12:00pm). The Mental Health Workforce Advisory Commettee and Health Workforce Australia invite everyone with a particular interest in the mental health workforce to come and contribute; professionals in different mental health work roles, consumers, carers, educators, managers of mental health services, academics and human resource managers are welcome.

Registration is essential and can be completed online by clicking here. If you have any questions about the project, or the consultation sessions, please contact Precision Consultancy on 03 9606 0118 or info@precisionconsultancy.com.au.

AUSTRALIAN NURSING FEDERATION

Tasmanian Branch

ELECTION NOTICE

Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009

Nominations are called for:

BRANCH PRESIDENT

BRANCH VICE PRESIDENT

BRANCH EXECUTIVE MEMBERS (4)

BRANCH COUNCILLORS (14)

Written nominations, which comply with the Rules of the Organisation, may be made at any time from Monday 1 October 2012 and must reach me not later than 12 noon on Monday 22 October 2012. Nominations cannot be withdrawn after this time.

Nomination forms are available from me or from the Branch office of the Organisation or can be printed here.

In accordance with Branch Rule 85.5, a candidate may, not later than 12 noon on

Monday 29 October 2012, submit to the Returning Officer a statement in support of the candidature.  Such statement must not exceed two hundred words and may be accompanied by a photograph of the candidate.

HOW TO LODGE NOMINATIONS

By Hand: Australian Electoral Commission, State Office,

2nd Floor NAB House, 86 Collins Street, Hobart   TAS   7000

By Post: GPO Box 520, Hobart  TAS  7001

By Fax: (03) 6235 0568

A postal ballot, if required, will open on Thursday 15 November 2012 and close at 10.00am on Monday 3 December 2012.

NOTE: A copy of the AEC’s election report can be obtained from the organisation or from me after the completion of the election.

Changed address? Advise the Federation now.

Michael Horwood                                                     Monday 1 October 2012

Returning Officer                                                      Telephone: 6235 0509

A new contract has been confirmed for the supply of nurses uniforms with the new Tasmanian Health Organisations.

Please see below flyers for information relevant to the region in which you work.

THO North Uniform Flyer

THO North West Uniform Flyer

THO South Uniform Flyer

The Department of Health and Human Services is seeing Expressions of Interest (EOI) from senior clinical professionals to form a multidisciplinary Tasmanian Lead Clinicians’ Group.

This group will take a lead role in shaping Tasmania’s Health Plan 2013 through the provision of clinical advice and evidence, consultation and communication and shaping planning and policy decisions.

Group members will need to demonstrate experience and skills in one or more of the following areas:

• Clinical service provision and currency of practice
• Clinical governance, quality and safety
• Health policy and planning, population health and operational management
• Leadership and engagement
• Clinical research and learning

The Group will meet regularly and be supported by a Secretariat within the Department.

Further details and an EOI form can be found at www.dhhs.tas.gov.au or by contacting Dr Craig White, Chief Medical Officer on (03) 6233 3297 or craig.white@dhhs.tas.gov.au

Applications close on Friday 24 August 2012. Applications must be accompanied by an EOI form.

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