A 33 per cent cut is nurses rostered on to certain shifts at Tenterfield Hospital is causing concern for those at the front line, with one RN (registered nurse) who finished up at the hospital at the end of June saying Tenterfield deserves better.
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"These recently-imposed cutbacks, assumedly directed by senior bureaucrats outside of the hospital, demonstrate no regard for safe patient care, and potentially put vulnerable patients' life at risk," Patricia Johnson said.
"Furthermore this situation has created much stress and concern for nurses as to how they can provide the level of high quality, focused patient care, which is the primary role of nursing."
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Tablelands Sector manager Catharine Death said Hunter New England Local Health District is required to staff hospital wards in accordance with the Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) award.
"Tenterfield Hospital currently has on average five inpatients and seven ED (emergency department) presentations daily and is staffed accordingly.
"That being said, I am meeting with staff in Tenterfield on Friday to discuss rostering and will be receptive to any suggestions of how we can continue to support our patients as best we can."
Friday's visit will come as good news to staff and those who make use of the hospital, often in emergency circumstances. Ms Johnson said that often a doctor is not onsite and those who present through the ED could be in life-and-death situations.
With up to 11 inpatients (18 once renovations are completed), she said it's impossible to care properly for elderly frail sometimes palliative patients.
"And getting any real meal breaks doesn't happen, you shove down something unhealthy at the desk."
Ms Johnson feels the rostering of just two nurses on some shifts, in place since the end of May, means there is barely enough staff to provide the required care to the inpatients on the ward and none allocated to the busy ED.
"Whenever a patient presents to the ED, one or more nurses are required to leave the ward to attend. Often, all nurses in the hospital need to be in the ED, leaving the ward patients completely unattended.
"This is a totally unacceptable and very risky situation. Surely the patients, community and staff at Tenterfield Hospital deserve better from NSW Health?"
