Striking nurses cheered at rally in Narrabri

Striking nurses from Narrabri Hospital were cheered on as they hit local streets in their fight for the NSW government to improve hospital ratios.

Almost 20 staff from Narrabri Hospital marched from outside the Narrabri Hospital on Gibbons Street to Maitland Street last Thursday morning as part of state-wide action.

Car horns honked and motorists waved to the health care professionals as they chanted their way down to the CBD.

The strike and march was orchestrated by the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association which is seeking talks with the state government about better working conditions for health care professionals.

The association is seeking a ratio commitment from the government of four patients to one nurse on wards and three patients to one nurse in emergency departments.

Local nurses voiced concern with current nurse to patient numbers in Narrabri.

One nurse told The Courier they had been responsible for the care of almost a dozen patients in recent weeks.

Secretary for the Narrabri branch of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association Sammi Maslen voiced concern about the pressures nurses have been facing.

While the association and nurses are also seeking better pay, she said the primary issue was additional staff to ease the increased workload experienced by nurses.

“We need to fix staffing first up. We need to have a workplace that isn’t stressful,” she said.

Ms Maslen said nurses needed better incentives to come to the country to work.

She voiced concern with limited childcare availability, a lack of financial incentives as well as accommodation issues as key factors for recruitment.

Reflecting on Thursday’s rally, she said they found that people were very supportive of their cause.

“This change to the hospital [staffing numbers] benefits the whole community.

“You would hope that if you do go into hospital, you will get the time and assistance you deserve,” she said.

She said she hoped the message from Thursday gets heard where it matters and that there isn’t a need to strike again.

The secretary of the state association has warned that members will strike again if the NSW government refuses to meet its demands.

Prior to last week’s rallies across the state, the NSW government and NSW Health said it had engaged in extensive discussions with the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association.

“Following advice that the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association was planning industrial action for March 31, NSW Health sought the assistance of the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) with a concern to minimise disruption to important health services for the community,” a NSW Health spokesperson said.

NSW Health urged the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association to comply with orders made by the IRC.

Member for Barwon Roy Butler reaffirmed his support for nurses in their fight for better working conditions.

“Understaffing is a chronic problem across Barwon and nurses bear the brunt of fatigue and the stress associated with providing care for
patients in less than ideal conditions,” he said.

“It is through the goodwill and hard work of our local nurses that our health system has been able to function, we need to do better.”