The staff situation at our brand new regional hospital is getting close to ridiculous.
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We have previously reported on medical staff shortages, an emergency department covered by an on-call specialist working a double shift, wait time blowouts, nurses snowed under by paperwork instead of patient care – and now the almost complete breakdown of the in-demand orthopaedic surgery department.
None of this is a reflection on the outstanding care and effort put in the nursing staff and doctors at the South East Regional Hospital. It’s management where fingers are pointing.
The matter of respected surgeon Chris Phoon’s contract not being renewed is distressing on a number of fronts. If indeed it is due to his advocacy on behalf of his colleagues as he claims, it is a poor reflection on the attitude of management and merely gives more credence to his previous outspoken efforts to question its decisions.
More distressing though is how the hundreds of people on waiting lists will be impacted by the decision. Not only Dr Phoon’s patients, but fellow orthopaedic surgeon Dr Matthew Nott’s as well as he threatens to cancel all his surgeries at the SERH through March in protest.
We also hear management intends to appoint a locum to cover Dr Phoon’s surgeries from next week. At what cost? We understand a locum surgeon can cost upwards of $2000 a day, regardless of how many patients are seen.
There of course may be legitimate reasoning behind the health district’s decision not to renew his contract. We were still seeking a response at the time of going to print and will publish it as soon as we hear back.
Until then, the region is looking at losing a well-regarded professional surgeon, and his GP wife – losses we can ill afford
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of our lowest-paid workers are also feeling the pinch this week with weekend and public holiday penalty rates to be slashed from July. The cuts will apply to hospitality, retail, fast food and pharmacy sectors.
The decision by the Fair Work Commission is seen as a boon for small business struggling to cope with staffing costs in addition to other overheads, but has been slammed by unions as well as workers who choose to trade off their Sunday R&R for a little extra in their pocket.
Would love to hear your thoughts. Email me at ben.smyth@fairfaxmedia.com.au