[Greens-Media] Time for truth on North Coast mental health workforce

[John Kaye]

Time for truth on North Coast mental health workforce

Media release: 7 July 2014

The Greens are challenging Lismore MP Thomas George to come clean on the
casualisation of the nursing staff in mental health facilities on the North
Coast.

Greens NSW MP John Kaye is in Lismore to campaign with the party's
candidate for the state seat of Lismore at the March 2014 election, Adam
Guise.

Dr Kaye and Mr Guise will hold a media conference to discuss their concerns
that mental health patients on the North Coast are increasingly being
denied the benefits of permanent nursing staff.

When: Monday  7 July, 11:00 AM

Where: Corner of Hunter and Uralba streets, outside Lismore Base Hospital

Mr Guise said: "We are deeply concerned by reports of permanent nursing
positions being left vacant while increasing numbers of casual staff are
being deployed into mental health wards on the North Coast.

"Continuity of care is critical for mental health patients.

"Permanent staffing provides patients with consistent care.

"Health professionals with job security create a more stable environment
for both patients and staff.

"The Liberal National government must come clean on the practice of
replacing permanent nursing staff with casuals. Like other care providers,
the mental health care workforce can least afford to be made victims of
workplace casualisation and high staff turnover.

"Lismore MP Thomas George should immediately release the workforce
statistics for the North Coast showing the proportion of mental health
nursing hours that are delivered by casual employees.

"Hospital admissions per head of population for self harm in the Northern
NSW Local Health District are occurring 38 per cent more frequently than
for the rest of the state.

"This is an area with a major mental health challenge that is being let
down by the Liberal National government," Mr Guise said.

Dr Kaye said: "The NSW Coalition keeps their health workforce statistics
under lock and key.

"The alarming reports I have heard since arriving in Lismore suggest that
the state government is trying to hide the reality from the Northern Coast
community.

"It looks like costs have been cut by replacing permanent nursing staff
with causals, despite the impact on mental health patients.

"Best practise mental health care and high levels of casual staff are not
consistent.

"Local MP Thomas George should contact Mental Health Minister Jai Rowell
and tell his community the truth about the rising number of casual mental
health nurses," Dr Kaye said.

Background: "The 2011-12 Northern NSW LHD self-harm hospitalisation rate of
178/100,000 was higher than the NSW average (129/100,000 in NSW), and there
has been an increasing trend in hospitalisations in the Northern NSW LHD
since the mid 1990’s, particularly in females aged 15-24 years."
http://nnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/about/north-coast-public-health/the-people-and-their-health/health-statistics/reports/

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455; Adam Guise 0402 431 521

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John Kaye
Greens NSW MP
phone: 0407 195 455
web: www.john.nsw.greens.org.au
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