Nurses hit out over recruits

THE Australian Nursing Federation has blamed the Health Department's slow recruitment process for its failure to quickly employ 75 new nurses for the State's public hospitals.

Branch secretary Neroli Ellis yesterday rejected Health Minister Lara Giddings's comments that the recruitment of the new nurses had been slow in part because of a lack of available nurses across the country.
The State Government promised to employ 75 new nurses across the State, including 29 at the Launceston General Hospital, as part of a new three-year Nursing Enterprise Bargaining Agreement last November.
Ms Ellis said it was taking up to three months for a nurse to go through the Health Department's recruitment process.
"They've got more than enough nurses who have made applications for jobs (at the LGH)," Ms Ellis said.
"There are certainly plenty of nurses in the community who want to come back to work in permanent positions. But it's taken six months to date because of a very slow human resources process.
"In the private sector you would be employed on the same day you applied."
She said the shortage of nurses at the LGH meant beds were still closed and there was reduced operating theatre capacity.
"We got a clear commitment from the Premier (Paul Lennon). We met with him. He publicly stated this would be done as a matter of urgency and yet the system seems to be too slow to respond," she said.
Health Minister Lara Giddings said half of the 29 positions allocated to the LGH had been filled.

By RAELENE MOREY

Article from http://northerntasmania.yourguide.com.au