Double shift data released today has shown action taken by the Hodgman Liberal Government to reduce double shifts in the public hospital system is working.
Reductions of up to 50 percent have been recorded in the first three months of 2016.
The safety of patients and staff is a top priority.
Late last year the Government announced a cap of 12 hours on nursing and midwifery shift lengths in recognition of fatigue as a risk factor, which came in to effect on 18 January 2016.
As a result double shifts have dropped in all parts of the state, with:
• 152 fewer at the Royal Hobart Hospital – a reduction of almost 30 per cent
• 290 fewer at the Launceston General Hospital – a reduction of more than 50 per cent; and
• 12 fewer at the North West Regional and Mersey Community Hospitals, where double shifts are historically less frequent – a fall of more than 17 per cent.
This is a significant achievement given the well reported increased demand being faced by our health system.
While this early trend is encouraging, there is much more work to do to maintain these improvements in coming months, where historically there are greater levels of sick leave contributing to increases in double shifts over winter.
We must and will continue to look at all appropriate means to tackle the problem of double shifts, and we are working constructively through the Double Shift Working Group.
Our policy complements other actions already taken by the Government, including targeted recruitment to the Royal Hobart and Launceston General Hospital nursing pools.
We are also recruited an additional 15 graduate nurses this year on top of the 115 positions recruited as a minimum each year.
The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to developing long term solutions to double shifts, to improve the health and safety of patients by supporting our valued nursing and midwifery staff.
