Union In Move To Protect Nurses

Newcastle Herald

Saturday August 9, 2008

By JULIEANNE STRACHAN

THE NSW nursing union will lobby the Department of Health to protect nurses and midwives from being required to remove babies from their families on behalf of the Department of Community Services.

The Singleton Hospital branch of the union put forward a motion this week to protect staff from the practice, which it feared put nurses and midwives at risk of retribution.

NSW Nurses Association general secretary Brett Holmes said it had been supported by the hundreds of delegates at the three-day conference at Randwick this week.

He said Hunter nurses had raised their concerns over new rostering arrangements with Health Minister Reba Meagher.

John Hunter Hospital nursing manager Wendy Goodman asked Ms Meagher at the conference if she was aware of the dispute.

A spokeswoman for Ms Meagher said she was aware of the situation, but stopped short of saying there would be intervention.

"Hunter New England Area Health Service and the NSW Nurses Association have agreed to establish a Union Specific Consultation Committee to work through the issues," the spokeswoman said.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home