Patient numbers in emergency departments at the RAH and QEH will be limited this weekend after nurses decided to take industrial action over bed closures.
“Our members thought that they had absolutely no choice nut to undertake this action,” the nursing and midwifery union’s Professor Elizabeth Dabars told FIVEAA.
“We decided that the worst outcome would be if we allowed these beds to close.
“This is serious for everyone… We do need to send a strong message. This is just not going to be tolerated.”
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But Prof Dabars said the action would cease if patient safety was put at risk…
“We’ve got to stand up for our patients now and get an outcome. This is never our first preference.
“[But] if at any time it’s looking compromising for our patients, we would always take the priority of the patient and override our own action.”
Prof Dabars pleaded with Jack Snelling to reverse the closures:
“We want the minister for health to urgently intervene in overturning the decision to close those beds and uphold his commitment to keeping beds open as long as they are needed.”
