Flu Epidemic Pushing Nurses to Breaking Point

BY SARAH JAMES

Staff at John Hunter Hospital are being pushed to the limit, with there being not enough nurses to keep up with the record number of admissions.

In 2016, there was a total of 132 confirmed cases of Influenza A and B admitted for care. This number has risen dramatically to 156 during the past year.

While additional beds were provided to support the growing number of admissions, additional staff were not put on.

The low levels of staff has resulted in many nurses being forced to work overtime, often unpaid.

NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) General Secretary Brett Holmes says unless staff numbers increase, it could jeopardise patient care.

"Clearly patients are missing out when short staffing situations occur, and when there are poor skill mix situations," he said. "That's the use of under-qualified staff to replace the registered nurses and enrolled nurses as a stopgap measure to try and keep those additional beds open, and that means of course some patients aren't getting the highest levels of care they deserve."

Brett Holmes says members of the NSWNMA will be meeting to next week to find a solution to the problem.

Source: National Blood Authority

Achoo! Worst flu month on record

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord has renewed his criticism of the Berejiklian Government after a massive jump in the number of flu cases in the Hunter and across the state.

We are just over half way through July, and already there's been more than 350 reported cases of influenza this month in the Hunter's hospitals and across the state there been a record4,085 reported cases to the official database for NSW Influenza notifications.

Walt Secord says the government were unprepared for the huge spike in influenza cases which he says has led to an increase in the number of "bed block" incidents.

"So you have a situation where patients wait at every stage, they wait for an ambulance, they wait for the emergency department and then they wait for a bed. Sadly the Berejiklian government has been caught unprepared for the flu season - we're on track to have one of the worst years on record for flu."

The flu season is smashing regional hospitals, particularly The Calvary Mater Hospital.

"Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle is one of the three hospitals that have been cited as being under enormous pressure so again Newcastle is also feeling the brunt of this flu season," said Walt Secord.

He adds while it may be too late for the government to do anything about it this flu season, there are things we can do ourselves.

"You can still get your flu shot - if you're feeling well you can get your flu shot. I had my flu shot in April and I haven't missed a moment of work so again there's still time to get your flu shot. August is usually seen as the high month, the worst time of the year so there's still time."

Flu season "smashing" Mater Hospital Emergency Department

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Calvary Mater Hospital in Waratah has been revealed as an area of concern in the latest NSW Health Influenza Surveillance Report which also ranks the Hunter New England Health District with the third highest influenza notifications in the state.

Compared to June last year, hospitals across the state have seen influenza admissions rise by almost double which Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord said is due to the unpreparedness of the NSW State Government.

"Every year we know the flu season is coming and again, the State Government has been caught off guard.

"They should have been out warning people and urging people to get vaccinated.

"In April I had my vaccinations and I have not missed a single day of work.

"Due to the failure to properly prepare, the additional flu patients in emergency departments mean other patients have to wait longer.

"The last thing NSW health and hospital system needs is to see hundreds of extra patients pouring into emergency departments with preventable flu symptoms," Mr Secord said.

Calvary Mater Hospital in Waratah. Source: ABC