Hunter Hospital staff strike over mould

November 14, 2008

BY STEPHEN RYAN AND MARTIN DINNEEN

15/11/2008 4:00:00 AM

Newcastle Herald - Newcastle,Australia

hospital-staff-strike-over-mould/1361064.aspx

ABOUT 30 staff at Hunter Hospital's medical records department

walked off the job yesterday, complaining about mould they said

caused rashes and respiratory problems.

Staff had experienced unexplained rashes, chronic headaches and

other illnesses during the past eight months, Health Services Union

organiser Jim Arneman said.

" We have had one employee off work for eight months and five

[employees] have gone on workers comp this week, " he said.

" And today they [workers] drew a line in the sand. "

Union representatives met with hospital and Hunter New England Area

Health Service management yesterday afternoon after the medical

records staff voted not to return to work until their workplace was

declared safe.

Hunter New England Health operations director for acute networks

Di Rienzo said the service was mindful of staff safety and

would address the issue at a meeting with union delegates on Monday.

Mr Arneman said that meant there was no chance of workers returning

to the records department on Monday as members had voted not to work

until the problem was fixed.

" There is no plan at the moment to return to work, " he said.

" They need to move the medical records out of that environment. "

Mr Arneman said there was also a possibility contaminants in the

records themselves might be causing the respiratory and skin

problems.

He said there was no intention by the union or its members to

inconvenience patients but some delays could occur early next week.

" It may affect some outpatient clinics due to start on Monday, " he

said.

Mr Di Rienzo said all clinical staff would have access to records

over the weekend and he hoped the problem could be resolved at

Monday's meeting.

Recommended Posts