Maitland Hospital Staff Hold Rally For Better Staffing Conditions

BY JACK SEYMOUR

Nurses and midwives have staged a rally outside Maitland Hospital this morning to call for better staffing conditions.

The one-hour demonstration included the hospital's night shift staff and workers on their rostered day off, as well as supporters from the community.

The walk-out comes after continued calls for change to working conditions for staff dating back eighteen months.

NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Maitland Branch Secretary Monique Murray says the dire conditions staff are facing could have a serious impact on the community needing to receive care.

"It's the community unfortunately who will also suffer from this. They're the ones who are coming to our hospitals needing our care when they're at their most vulnerable," she said. 

"If our nurses are struggling to deliver that care then it flows down to our patients. It has a worse outcome for their health, it extends their hospital stay and they're not getting their needs met...because they just haven't got the capacity."

The rally had no impact on the day's hospital services.

Maitland Hospital in Crisis

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Staff shortages and mammoth wait times are causing a crisis at Maitland Hospital. 

New data has revealed the new facility had the highest number of admissions leave without treatment (2,481) in the state between July and September last year. 

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington, said the lengthy wait times are risking the lives of Hunter residents, and a Labor state government would address the issues. 

"We have already committed to mandatory safe-staffing ratios of nurses in hospitals, because we know that it's not bricks and mortar that save lives, it's the nurses and doctors, and people that work within them," Ms Washington said. 

"The Liberal Government has built this massive hospital, but they have just not staffed it properly."

Since opening at it's new site, the hospital has seen an 83% rise in walk-outs without treatment. 

Hunter hospitals hoping to bounce back after busy winter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter New England Health District is hoping for a quieter summer, after another busy winter at the region's hospitals.

According to the latest Bureau of Health Information data, more than 109,000 people visited the Hunter's emergency departments in the three months to September, though more than half were not in need of life-threatening or critical care.

It's understood, COVID-19 and other winter illnesses are continuing to put pressure on health staff.

65.5 percent of patients started their treatments on time, while 78.3 percent were transferred out of ambulances within the half-an-hour benchmark, compared to a state average of 74.8 percent.

6,497 elective surgeries were performed across the region, with 99.6 completed on time.

Young doctors feeling fatigue at the John Hunter

BY OLIVIA DILLON

A new survey has revealed high levels of fatigue in young Hunter doctors.

Data from the 2022 Australian Medical Association NSW Survey indicates 54% of doctors-in-training at John Hunter Hospital felt they had made a fatigue-induced error while working. 

This was higher than the state average of 46%. 

52% also reported experiencing a heavy or very heavy inpatient workload.

In comparison, 32% of Maitland Hospital workers, and 45% at the Calvary Mater, felt they had made a mistake due to tiredness. 

Figures out of the Mater also indicate 73% of staff members were concerned about their health and safety in regards to their roster. 

The results come after the COVID-19 pandemic shook the region, with staff furloughs meaning doctors were forced to cover shifts for sick staff members. 

AMA NSW Doctors-in-Training Committee co-chair Dr Sanjay Hettige, told Newcastle Herald the pandemic had both increased and highlighted the pressure felt by young doctors. 

And, Executive Director of Medical Services at Hunter New England Health, Professor Trish Davidson said improving these statistics is a significant focus moving forward. 

Community concerned former Maitland Hospital site could be up for sale

BY DAKOTA TAIT

There's concern the State Government could be moving to sell off the former Maitland Hospital, without consulting the community on other ideas for the site.

A number of community and mental health services are still housed at the former hospital, but are set to move to the new Metford site once a new facility is planned, built, and complete.

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison says it's worrying the plans haven't been discussed with the community.

"They've said that after they remove those people from the site, they will be disposing of the building," she said. 

"That's to me a slap in the face for the people of Maitland. This is a building that's really important to the community - we've had people who've been born there, family members who've died there."

"It's part of the fabric of the community, and the community should have had a say, well before now, on what was going to happen."

Earlier in the year, Maitland Council discussed its vision for the site, including potential uses in education, tourism, or for another healthcare provider.

The community's also raised calls for a second hospital or as a museum or cultural centre.

If the State Government sells the property, it's unclear if the campus would be demolished or what else it might look like in private hands.

"There's some really important heritage buildings on that site," Ms Aitchison said. "It's actually a time capture of the different styles of hospital construction throughout the years."

"There are obviously some parts of the building which are no longer fit for purpose at all - there's asbestos on the site I know."

New data reveals nearly one in four emergency patients leaving Maitland Hospital early

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The latest Bureau of Health Information data has revealed, almost a quarter of patients are leaving the Emergency Department at Maitland Hospital early.

The quarterly report found 24.91 percent of patients left without completing their treatment, not only the highest number in New South Wales, but a new record.

39.5 percent of patients who waited for treatment, spent more than four hours in the waiting room.

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison says it's proof the health system is in crisis.

"I think it's just showing the lack of staffing in the system," she said. "We've got a really dire state of the health system in Maitland particularly."

"It's not fair on hardworking staff in those sections, and the nurses and the midwives. It's contributing to ramping with the ambulances."

"We're just seeing a huge increase in the number of people that are coming into the hospital over the last little while, with the new relocation, but we just haven't seen enough staff being able to get in there to do the work."

Across the state, 62.8 percent of all emergency patients started their treatment on time, and one in five who left early returned within three days.

The Nurses and Midwives Association has reiterated its calls for nurse-to-patient ratios in public hospitals, as well as action to ease the pressure on staff and ensure patient safety.

Ms Aitchison says the situation is "unacceptable".

"We're hearing, routinely, people waiting almost 24 hours to be seen," she said. "I've heard of a case of someone waiting on an emergency bed for 100 hours."

"Now that is just absolutely unacceptable, and really needs to be addressed."

Maitland MP Calls on Community for ED Feedback

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Maitland residents are being called upon to share their experience visiting the new hospital's emergency department. 

The call comes after new data revealed the ED has the highest walk-out rate in the state.

Figures indicate more than 1 in 5 patients who present at the ED seeking help, leave before they are treated. 

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison, said the figures are impacting staff and patients alike. 

"The morale of the staff is really impacted by this because the frustration of knowing that people who go to the emergency department seeking assistance are leaving due to the excessive wait times, before they actually get treatment, must be devastating," Ms Aitchison said. 

"People who are in urgent medical need for assistance, shouldn't be going to an emergency department and becoming so frustrated by the excessive wait times that they just give up." 

"It's concerning for those patients and their families," she added. 

In response, Ms Aitchison put out a Facebook post, calling for responders to share their experience in the department, with some citing wait times of more than 6 hours. 

Ms Aitchison said it's unacceptable to have a half-a-billion-dollar hospital in the region, without the appropriate staff to provide essential services. 

"The government should have been aware of these issues well before now; they've got control of the data, they know what's happening in the emergency department, but have failed to make significant changes," she said. 

"I'm calling on members of the public who've been in that situation to come forward. We need their voices to make the case to government for more staffing."

Maitland Hospital

Health data proves Maitland Hospital under the pump, nurses say

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Nurses at Maitland Hospital say new health data has "vindicated" their concerns around conditions at the new site, revealing it's facing the busiest period in the hospital's history.

According to the latest Bureau of Health Information data, presentations at Maitland Hospital increased by 7.1 percent between January and March, compared to the same quarter last year.

Presentations fell by the same amount at the John Hunter, and 8.1 percent at the Mater.

The Nurses and Midwives Association has raised the alarm, the Maitland Hospital's move to Metford has meant the catchment has expanded to encompass patients from Raymond Terrace and Port Stephens.

Maitland Branch Acting Secretary Kathy Chapman says the numbers are "not surprising at all".

"We've been feeling this ever since we got there at Maitland," she said. "The patients have been feeling this."

"Now that [the data's] come out, we do feel vindicated in saying, you know, this has been happening, it's wrong, let's get the Ministry of Health to do something about it."

Arrivals by ambulance also rose by 9.5 percent, while falling by around three percent at the other two hospitals.

Just over 50 percent of Maitland Hospital patients began their treatment on time, down more than ten percent on the same time last year.

There was an almost 15 percent fall in the percent of patients transferred from paramedics to the emergency department in less than half an hour, though the John Hunter saw a five percent improvement, to be the fastest in the state.

Ms Chapman says the State Government needs to start by taking a serious look at the numbers.

"I think they should read it for a start," she said. "I think they should honestly look at it, and go, 'Okay, what have we done here, and do we need to  redirect some services to Maitland?'"

"We're in a bad way, so I would say look at the data and do something about it."

Maitland Hospital Set To Open Early 2022

BY JARROD MELMETH

Construction on the new Maitland Hospital is ahead of schedule and is set to be taking patients by early 2022.

The Health Minister toured the site yesterday and touted the $470 million facility which will be home to a number of services including emergency care, chemotherapy chairs, surgical, critical care, maternity, paediatric, cardiac catherisation, mental health, palliative care, outpatient clinics and dental services.

The redevelopment will also include a $30 million car park, bringing the total investment to $500 million.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard says its fantastic to see the progress.

"The new hospital is on track to deliver world-class health care for the Hunter community from early next year.

"The project is a major opportunity to embrace technology and innovation, creating new ways of working and ultimately improving health outcomes for patients," Mr Hazzard said.

The new hospital is expected to be handed over from the builder in the next couple of months and then a commissioning period will be undertaken.

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison joined the the Minister for the tour and says it is a landmark building.

"To see this project rise out of landscape into such a world class facility is a testament to the many valued workers in our health care system who have provided their input into the way our hospital should operate.

"The innovations are inspiring and show the genuine care and concern for patients," Ms Aitchison said.

The new hospital will also feature the largest scale installation of an artwork commissioned in a NSW Health facility.

The artwork which will be housed in the main foyer is designed by artist Peter Poulet and is described as a piece drawing on stories collected from locals and is an abstract representation of the Maitland area, the river and surrounding landscape.

Another piece along the arbour along the drop of and entry to the building has been commissioned by indigenous artist Saretta Fielding and celebrates Wonnarua Country. 

Health Minister Brad Hazzard & Maitland MP Jenny
Aitchison on site. Photo: Jenny Aitchison

Final Push to Save Maitland Hospital

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI

In one final push to save the new Maitland Hospital from privatisation, Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison is rallying together with her community at the weekend.

She's encouraging everyone to turn up at 12:30pm in Maitland Park on Sunday, demanding the Government walk away from a public-private provider (PPP) model once and for all. She recently presented a petition to Parliament with more than 20, 000 signatures asking for just this.

Jenny Aitchison says the community's efforts to turn things around have been successful in the past and there's no reason they won't be able to convince the Health Minister to keep their hospital public.

"We've won on the increased funding, we've won on the escalated time frame for delivery, we've won in getting corporate for-profit PPP partnership. We just need the community to really come together for one big final push to reject the not-for-profit public-private partnership.

"We want a fully public hospital."

Community Protests over Maitland Hospital. Image: Maitland Mercury

However, Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald has fired back at Ms. Aitchison, saying that Labor has failed to get behind the project and they're not committed to the delivery of a new hospital.

"Unfortunately, we've got Labor undermining the prospects for a new hospital and any new hospital that we get underway could have the rug pulled out from underneath it. This is bad, bad news for the people of the Lower Hunter and I am calling on the Member for Maitland to get behind our $450 million commitment."

He says despite concerns about the availability of medical services under a not-for-profit provider, this model won't change a thing.

"The signage is up there on the new hospital site that guarantees full public access just as people are used to today so there's [sic] no changes to the levels of service and their accessibility. All the normal things that they would expect from a public hospital will be there. It will just be built and operated by a not-for-profit provider."

But according to Jenny Aitchison, this is not only inaccurate it's simply incorrect. She claims there will be a difference in services under a public-private model and public patients will be the first to suffer if the hospital is at capacity. 

"Public patients will be the first to be moved when there are vacancies available. Now, do we want people being moved in hospital because of their treatment needs or because of their capacity to pay?" she said. 

"We've already got a private hospital in Maitland. We do not need another private hospital."

John Hunter Hospital Staff Rally

BY CAOIMHE MACCARTHY

Allied health professionals, cleaners, and kitchen staff gathered outside the John Hunter Hospital during their lunch break today in order to support their colleagues facing uncertain futures at Maitland Hospital.

At 12.30pm a staff rally was held to highlight their concerns to the community over the delivery of public health services in the new Maitland Hospital at Metford.

"What we want to do is highlight to the Government that we might be out in the regional area but we're just as important as the other four hospitals that are now being publically funded", says Cindy Paull from the Health Services Union, "Maitland deserves exactly the same treatment".

Staff from the John Hunter Hospital rallied to show their support for their work colleagues in Maitland outlining that the community will not benefit from the hospital privatisation and further concerns about job security and the importance of nurse-to-patient ratios.

"They believe just like everybody else in the community down in Maitland that Maitland deserves a public hospital, so what they're doing today is they're showing their support for the community and also for their fellow workers".

This Sunday at Maitland Park another rally will be held - calling out for members of the community to get behind the message that Maitland is as deserving as any other NSW community for the right to a public hospital.

John Hunter Hospital health workers join in support to keep Maitland Hospital Public.. @HSUNSW @nswnma @ASMOFnsw #hunterworkers @unionsnsw pic.twitter.com/d7w1kaJkS7

— Hunter Workers (@HunterUnions) November 21, 2017