Staff stretched thin at north and south Women Youth and Children divisions

A question from the Canberra Liberals to the Health Minister in the ACT Assembly today elicited the fact approximately 20 midwives have left North Canberra Hospital since the Barr-Rattenbury government’s takeover of Calvary Public Hospital.

Shadow Health Minister, Leanne Castley, was told that at least nine midwives chose not to transition to a hospital run by the Government’s Canberra Health Services and around 11 have left since the takeover of Calvary Hospital.

The Health Minister also confirmed that the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children in Woden initiated a ‘code yellow’ - an internal disaster - because of unsafe staffing levels.

Ms Castley slammed the Minister for yet another failure to provide safe staffing levels at the Women and Childrens Hospital and also the new government managed North Canberra Hospital.

“The fact that around 20 midwives have left our public health system after this government’s takeover of Calvary Hospital is inexcusable," Ms Castley said.

“Given there are national shortages for midwives the fact that the government taking over Calvary Hospital has reduced our workforce shows how short sighted this government is.

“The ACT now has two Women, Youth and Children divisions, in both the north and south, that have been stretched due to this government’s inability to manage our health system and retain our talented midwifery staff.

“Instead of increasing flexibility, as was claimed, the Government’s takeover of Calvary has caused a mass exodus of midwives, which has contributed to the strain on frontline staff in our frontline health workers in our public Women and Children divisions.

“The ANMF warned the government that the loss of even one midwife would have implications on a ward or clinic, yet the Labor-Greens government blundered ahead anyway," Ms Castley concluded.