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.

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