News Flash

The Public Service Association (PSA) is participating in the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (NRAH) Consultative Forum and Senior Industrial Officer Sue Cummins attended the meeting on Monday 29 August, 2011.

Matters discussed:

• PSA members seeking further information on the progress of the NRAH can view a number of documents on the SA Health website.

• The above website includes details of the 80 Planning Groups and their membership, which have been established. These groups have commenced or are scheduled to commence over the next six (6) months. This is supposed to be an open process with the participants consulting with staff within their work areas. A number of these participants are PSA members and the PSA would welcome any feedback from these groups via email sc@cpsu.asn.au

• Concerns were raised in relation to the consultation process with staff and the way the Planning Group membership has been established. One of the outcomes of the discussion was to explore the establishment of a site based NRAH Industrial Forum for Worksite Representatives.

• A further series of General Staff Meetings are planned for the Robson Theatre and the PSA encourages all members to attend these meetings.

• There are six (6) Change Management Programs being established as part of the restructure of the Department of Health and further details will be available after the next monthly meeting. PSA members interested in being involved in any of these change management programs are invited to express their interest by nominating via email sc@cpsu.asn.au. The groups are:

• Single Inpatient Rooms – This has system wide implications, not just for the NRAH. Changing roles and work processes impact on Allied Health and Nursing Staff, which may raise industrial issues.

• Patient Journeys – In and out of hospitals settings.

• Community & Primary Care – Trials that have been occurring in aged and mental health care are being expanded.

• Surgery – Further work around elective surgical centres, access to ICU, development of procedures and identifying industrial implications for staff working across a number of sites.

• Outpatients – This is supplementary to the Outpatients Review. May identify clinics that could be undertaken in the GP+ sites rather than acute settings.

• Blue Space (Office Accommodation) – One of the examples given was 'touchdown' spaces for staff who work across a number of sites. The PSA is particularly concerned as the Association is of the view that this is another name for 'hotdesking'.

The PSA is believes that a secure unit where prisoners can be housed should be included within the NRAH. SA Health advised that this would not be included within the NRAH but discussions were ongoing with Corrections in relation to the possibility of setting up a facility elsewhere eg. Modbury Hospital.

This NRAH Industrial Forum will meet monthly with the next meeting scheduled for Monday 26 September 2011.

1 September  2011