Health and Community Services Union

The Health and Community Services Union welcomed the news from the State Government today that Blackwood Cottage, located at Beechworth Hospital, would remain open.

The closure of the facility was being proposed by the Department of Health and the management of Beechworth Hospital and North and West Health. In response to community-run campaign against the closure, the Minister for Mental Health, Lisa Neville, announced yesterday that the State Government would act to prevent the closure of the facility.

HACSU and the DHS have agreed all outstanding issues on the wording for the new 2008 – 2012 EBA agreement.

While all the wages increases, new allowances and other benefits won in the 2008 EBA campaign and agreement have or continue to be implemented via the Heads of Agreement and Common Law Deed; the formal agreement to be registered by Fair Work Australia (FWA) under the new work laws has been the subject to what seems like endless discussions to conclude the wording of the final agreement. Its been no small task to incorporate the 2008 EBA wins and to simplify and remove redundant provisions from the old agreement.

All issues are now agreed and the final checking of the document is being undertaken. HACSU expects that meetings in workplaces and Regions will take place in March for employees to Vote on approving the agreement so that it can be lodged with Fair Work Australia.

A schedule of meeting will be circulated and the DHS will be required to facilitate staff attending in paid time – Keep an eye out for further details coming to your workplace email and home mail.

The Victorian Government has release the Strategy Implementation Plan 2009-2011, the implementation document for Because Mental Health Matters: Victorian Mental Health Reform Strategy 2009-19.

The Strategy Implementation Plan outlines the concrete actions to be undertaken over the next 2 years and the specific actions that will be undertaken in each of the eight Reform Areas that make up the overall strategy.

HACSU will be formally responding to the plan shortly and we welcome comments from members on the strategy.

The Plan can be downloaded from:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/reformstrategy/.

The announcement yesterday by Ballarat Health regarding a ‘change in model of care’ to Horsham’s Community Mental Health Team is nothing but window dressing for years of chronic staffing shortages says the Health and Community Services Union.

Yesterday, Ballarat Health Service announced that it would be reducing its nursing staff by 4 full time positions and increasing the number of Psychiatrists employed by the service.

Previously the service had 8 nurses. They were on the road, in the community, providing care 7 days a week. This will be lost with this new model. Whilst HACSU welcomes additional Psychiatrists in Mental Health their primary function is to provide medical care. Psychiatrists do not provide the direct and active support for consumers and families that nurses and clinicians do to ensure there is a total treatment plan and adequate recovery work.

"Horsham have had chronic staffing shortages since at least 2007. Instead of dealing with these staffing shortages and retention problems, management at Ballarat Health Services have introduced a new 'model of care' to mask their ongoing staffing issues," said HACSU State Secretary Lloyd Williams today.

"We currently have a situation where staff are having to do double shifts to cover the workload and Ballarat Health Services are talking about decreasing staffing levels," said Mr Williams "No amount of dressing this up as a ‘new model of care’ will change the fact that those needing these services, those at their most vulnerable, will be receiving less care than they need and deserve."

"Ballarat Health Services are funded for these positions and it is about time they filled them. The Community of Horsham and the surrounding areas deserve better."

HACSU Commences Action in the Federal Court

On Tuesday 5 January HACSU’s lawyers Slater & Gordon lodged a wage recovery case in the Federal Court on behalf of members against Ballarat Health Service.

The case seeks to recover the shift allowances not paid to HACSU members who are in receipt of the 'commuted allowance' (former Section 97 employees).

The court action follows the ongoing refusal of Ballarat and other health services to pay members the additional shift allowances when they work afternoon or night shifts on weekend days and public holidays.

The court action is a member’s only claim and a directions hearing for the Ballarat case has been listed for the 8th February 2010.

Given the evidence gathering complexities of the case it was determined to commence the action against Ballarat Health Services.

HACSU is now preparing separate action against other health services that are not paying the allowance.

Authorised by Lloyd Williams, State Secretary

DHS Disability Members are finally receiving a ‘Notice of Representation’ today from the Department of Human Services.

HACSU wrote to members in early November explaining that you do not need to do anything with this notice. It is a technical requirement of the new act in order to register our 2008 EBA. Unfortunately some confusion has arisen due to a delay in the Department sending out the notice.

The Health and Community Services Union has said today that the incident at Thomas Embling Hospital last night, which has lead to the fatal stabbing of two clients and the serious injury of another, highlights the inadequacies of the State Government’s workforce strategy in the Mental Health Sector.

The Victorian Government wants to introduce a Portable Long Service Leave Scheme. However Community Sector Organisations are opposed to it. A Portable Long Service Leave Scheme is crucial if we are to begin to address the overwhelming recruitment and retention issues in the Non-Government Sector.

Please fill out the form below to send an email in support of the proposed scheme.

A pay increase of 5.25% will flow to HACSU’s Health Professional Members in their next pay after agreement was finally met between Employers and the Union.

The payrise is backdated to 21 November 2008 and members will receive this backpay shortly.

These payrises add to the conditions already won for Health Professionals working in Mental Health including additional study leave, CATT oncall and improvements in case management and staffing levels.

For more information contact HACSU Member Services Team on 1300 651 931.