Around 100 Allied Health practitioners walked off the job on Wednesday to protest the ongoing staff retention issues in Wagga Wagga. Photo: Supplied.
The battle between NSW healthcare workers and the State Government has continued to escalate after more allied health practitioners walked off the job in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday (19 March).
Psychologists and pharmacists were among health professionals who have argued increased pressure on working practitioners and poor retention rates have left staff with no other choice but to protest their working conditions.
“Allied health workers play a critical role in our stretched health care system, and we are at risk of losing these clinicians if we don’t shake things up,” Health Services Union Secretary Gerard Hayes said.
“We need to attract and retain more clinicians who provide invaluable services caring for the health of people in the Riverina. We must take steps to keep them. The alternative is longer wait times, and people may have to travel further from home for treatment.”
Around 100 workers walked off the job on Wednesday in hopes of bringing new conditions to the allied health award in April.
“Negotiations for new allied health awards are scheduled to commence in April for the first time in 15 years and will coincide with the release of the special commission of inquiry findings which are expected to highlight the urgent need for reform to allied health awards to improve attraction and retention,” Mr Hayes said.
“Health Services Union members are celebrating the invaluable work of allied health practitioners, and campaigning for measures to attract and retain clinicians who are vital to the health of the Riverina community.
“Allied health workers have been operating under an outdated award which no longer reflects the role these professionals play in modern health.
“With our ageing population, and chronic disease on the rise, we must invest in attracting and retaining allied health workers. Our health needs would not be met without them. We must do what we can to secure their futures for the health of our communities.”
Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) said it would continue to work with allied health to ensure more workers were continuing to come through the system. One of the biggest programs MLHD is continuing to promote is the Rural Allied Health Student Educator Pilot Program, which looks to attract medical students from the cities to the regions.
“The program is enticing allied health students to undertake clinical placements in the regions and take up full-time roles in rural, regional and remote locations,” an MLHD spokesperson said.
“There have been 150 allied health student placements. This has resulted in several students returning to our teams to work after they graduate.
“The district also offers support with staff development and has introduced an allied health staff educator role to grow a culture of teaching and development.”
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