Northern Beaches Hospital nurses and midwives go on strike

From 6 am on Monday, 24 March, nurses and midwives working at Northern Beaches Hospital went on strike for 26 hours as part of a series of rolling stoppages at Healthscope hospitals, the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) announced.

In its announcement, NSWNMA said its members are calling on Healthscope — Australia’s second-largest private operator — “to put patients and staff before profits and implement safe working conditions for nurses and midwives so they can provide quality patient care”.

Being sought by NSWNMA members are:

• mandated nurse/midwife-to-patient ratios;
• a 15% one-year wage increase;
• 30% night shift penalties; and
• improved leave entitlements.
   

Life-preserving care and minimum staffing levels will be maintained throughout the stop work actions, NSWNMA confirmed.

This month, following a request from NSW Health Minister Ryan Park to NSW Parliament Public Accounts Committee Chair Jason Yat-Sen Li, it was announced that a parliamentary inquiry into the safety and quality of health services provided by Northern Beaches Hospital will be conducted.

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