THE level of uncertainty and confusion among health staff over planned job cuts is profound, the Health Services Union says.
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The union understands the North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS), after months of discussions, has reiterated that 300 jobs would go in its latest round of job cuts.
But only about 68 of these positions were identified to the Health Services Union.
The union’s general secretary, Michael Williamson, said he received advice these cuts would inevitably lead to reductions in service levels to the community.
The equivalent of almost eight full-time positions across 10 fields are identified for “deletion” at Port Macquarie.
NCAHS chief executive Chris Crawford said 110 positions already had been shed across the service and another 200 positions were to be discussed.
He said the area health service took the view that about another 90 positions to be lost through “operational management” did not require “consultation”.
An example would be the loss of a project officer when the project finished.
Health Services Union North Coast lead organiser Ken McIntosh said relief levels for allied health already were cut.
“The loser in this is the community as appointments and services cannot consequently be maintained,” he said.
“The level of uncertainty and confusion amongst staff is profound.”
Mr Crawford said the Health Services Union had been consulted during the process.
Some 68 allied health and support staff positions in the health networks from the Tweed to the Hastings are earmarked for “deletion” and a further 10 positions in area offices also are under threat.
The area health service is talking to the NSW Nurses’ Association about the most sensitive way to announce the nursing positions it proposes to “delete’’.
Mr Crawford said the job losses were not forced redundancies.
The area health service boss has addressed groups of staff.
Lists of affected positions will be displayed on the service’s intranet.
“We are trying to work in a consultative way to give people a chance to express their views,” he said.
Get the breakdown of what's going at port Macquarie Base Hospital in today's Port News