SUNSHINE Hospital will be unable to cope with the skyrocketing demand on its services without a big boost to beds and staffing levels, according to hospital staff.
Nurses and midwives made the claim during a rolling walk-out campaign, now entering its second week.
They face hefty fines if they continue to defy a Federal Court order to return to work.
But a senior midwife told the Weekly they had too much to fight for to give up now.
“We are prepared to take significant action to support the campaign to save and improve our [nurse-to-patient] ratios,” she said.
“The government says they will keep the ratios, but the reality is these will include unqualified health assistants. We think that would destroy the Victorian health system.”
There were 62,837 patient visits to Sunshine Hospital’s emergency department in the 12 months to last June. About 4400 babies were born at the hospital in the same period, or 434 births per labour ward bed.
The midwife said the baby boom was creating a bigger risk for mothers as there were not enough beds
and midwives to safely meet the demand.
The hospital’s 2011 service plan forecast demand to increase to more than 5500 births by 2015-16.
Western Health’s clinical services director for perioperative and critical care services, Associate Professor Trevor Jones, said he had grave concerns about industrial action closing two of Footscray’s operating theatres last week.
The ANF said the operations were merely shifted to later times.
But a Western Health spokesman said the cancellations caused flow-on issues for other surgery, including pain control operations.
