More than 300 beds are now closed in NSW hospitals as industrial action by nurses escalates.
Further bed closures at metropolitan hospitals are planned for Sunday and Monday, likely raising the total above 500.
Base hospitals across the north of the state will also start closing beds early next week, NSW Nurses’ Association acting general secretary Judith Kiejda said.
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Union members launched the industrial action on Tuesday to pressure the state government into introducing minimum nursing staff levels.
They want a ratio of one nurse to every four patients – the current standard in Victoria – to ensure care standards.
The industrial action has already led to some non-emergency procedures being cancelled.
Ms Kiejda said patients undergoing elective and non-urgent surgery would feel the impact more next week as the closures increase.
Patients will be contacted in advance if their operations or appointments are being cancelled, she added.
No emergency procedures or care is affected.
“The community is behind us and nurses themselves are very much supporting this,” Ms Kiejda told AAP.
The industrial action began with the closure of more than 150 beds at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred and hospitals in Wollongong, Manly, Long Jetty, Taree and other locations.
The figure rose to 217 late on Thursday.
There were further closures from 7am (AEDT) on Friday, including at Westmead Hospital, one of Sydney’s biggest, and at St George Hospital, in the city’s south.
The figure is liable to change because some closed beds are being reopened to increase emergency capacity.
The closures also include beds not reopened after the Christmas and New Year period.
NSW Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt on Friday reiterated her refusal to negotiate with the union.
She told ABC Radio that the ratio of one nurse to four patients is not appropriate.
“Having said that, we are very understanding of the Nurses’ Association’s concerns around workload,” Ms Tebbutt said.
“NSW Health is still looking at all of the issues that the association has raised,” she said.
“It’s just not possible to negotiate in an environment of industrial action.”
Source: www. smh.com.au
