Maine nurses to protest today

Nurses at Castlemaine's Mount Alexander Hospital will take industrial action tomorrow to raise awareness of patient safety issues.

The protest, organised by the Australian Nursing Federation, coincides with the opening of the new Ellery House aged care facility.

According to union officials, registered nurses have unanimously voted not to help in relocating elderly residents from the hospital's aged care ward to Ellery House.

ANF Victorian branch secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said the refusal was to make sure the safety of the elderly residents was not compromised because of a lack of nurses.

"The nurses' refusal to assist with the relocation is a last resort measure to protect the Castlemaine community's most vulnerable residents following months of fruitless negotiations between ANF and Mount Alexander Hospital management," she said.

Ms Fitzpatrick said management had ignored the "undisputable fact" that the safe care of frail residents who suffered from complex, chronic and multiple diseases required an appropriate number of qualified nurses on each shift.

She said the hospital's nurses were waiting for a response to their revised roster proposal from earlier this week and the ANF was available for negotiations at any time.

Mount Alexander Hospital chief executive Marilyn Pritchard did not return The Advertiser's calls yesterday.

By Adrian Lowe

Article from bendigo.yourguide.com.au