One of the busiest health districts in Sydney will make staff redundant after a budget blowout that has seen it record a $20 million deficit, Fairfax Media can reveal.
The deficit comes as the south-eastern Sydney health district has seen huge increases in patient numbers, and recently was so overwhelmed by emergency cases one of its major hospitals was put on unofficial bypass by the ambulance service because it was too full to accept patients. http://www.theleader.com.au/story/3261216/extreme-hospital-bed-shortages-part-of-union-campaign-pushed-by-labor-says-health-minister/?cs=1507
It is now asking staff to accept voluntary redundancies, but it says they will be restricted to only about 50 "non-clinical staff" and will not affect patient care.
Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes said it was ridiculous to claim getting rid of staff would not affect patient care.
"They are frontline services," he said. "If you do away with administration officers then the clinicians are going to have to pick up that role."
"There is also no legitimate reduction because work has not disappeared," he said.
Figures from the Bureau of Health Information show the number of emergency cases treated at Prince of Wales Hospital increased by 6 per cent last year alone, while emergency surgery increased by 9 per cent.
At St George Hospital, emergency presentations and emergency surgery both increased by 8 per cent in the past year.
Despite this, both hospitals have managed to decrease waiting times and see more patients within clinically recommended time frames, although neither have been able to meet national targets that 90 per cent of patients are seen in emergency departments within four hours.
Mr Hayes said there had also been no consultation with the union before the job cuts were announced, and it did not know which positions would go.
Labor health spokesman Walt Secord said given the strain the health system was under, the last thing the government should be doing was allowing hospitals to "dump staff".
"With the health system stretched to breaking point, I absolutely reject their claim that cutting 50 positions will not affect patient care" he said. "The Baird government is just misleading the community with definitions and job titles; it will absolutely affect patient care."
But Gerry Marr, the chief executive of the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, said there were 11,000 staff in the district overall, so it could remove 50 positions "without compromising patient care".
"SESLHD has a duty to remain financially responsible and ensure taxpayers' money is directed to frontline services," he said. He acknowledged the district had accrued a $20 million deficit in the 2014/15 financial year, but said it had implemented strategies to reduce costs including reducing overtime and centralising procurement.
Health Minister Jillian Skinner said the district must keep to its budget, which is $1.59 billion for the current financial year, an increase of 4.4 per cent on 2014/15.
"I am advised by South Eastern Sydney Local Health District that redundancies will be voluntary and will not include staff involved in clinical care," she said. "I am confident these redundancies will not impact on frontline patient care."
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