BY XANTHE GREGORY
Concern has been raised over the use of maternity
beds in the Maitland Hospital.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association has
reacted to surgical and medial patients filling beds in the hospital’s maternity
ward.
The Association’s Maitland branch official Stacey
Butcher says “this is unacceptable and the midwives have had enough.”
The association has brought the issue to
hospital management which includes talks over staffing levels within the
maternity unit.
“Midwives have been under increasing pressure
due to increasing number of high risk babies and management decision to fill
maternity with surgical and medical patients,” says Ms Butcher.
Currently last-minute negotiations with staff,
the union and hospital management will determine the association’s reaction to
the crisis.
The association’s Maitland branch will hold a
rally on Friday afternoon if talks do not conclude positively.
The rally will take place on Friday at 3.30pm, in front of the hospital on High Street, where 20-30 midwives are expected to attend.
