Vic: Dispute closes nearly 1,000 hospital beds

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2004
Vic: Dispute closes nearly 1,000 hospital beds

MELBOURNE, April 23 AAP - Victoria's health system was placed under increasing strain
today as nurses' work bans closed nearly 1,000 hospital beds across the state.

Patients filled emergency departments while ambulances were turned away from two Melbourne
hospitals due to overcrowding.

Health authorities said 988 beds had been closed and 226 elective surgery sessions
cancelled as a result of the industrial action, now in its third day.

And they warned of further pressure on services in the coming days as hospitals struggled
to cope with the usual weekend rush on their services.

"It's a time generally where we see more motor vehicle accidents and general accidents
and these sorts of occurrences," a Department of Human Services spokesman said.

"There is an increase in presentations, and that is going to put pressure on the system.

"Things are going to be stretched and the situation over the weekend and especially
on Sunday will be challenging."

The warning came as the government and nurses were ordered back into the Australian
Industrial Relations Commission for emergency conciliation talks.

Premier Steve Bracks said the government wanted to bring on a hearing, scheduled for
Monday morning, into its application to have the work bans declared illegal.

"We want that heard as quickly as possible," he told reporters.

"We will be in the commission today arguing for that.

"What I say to the nurses' union is: 'Come back and talk to us. Discuss it. Negotiate.

I'm sure we can reach a settlement'."

Nurses vowed on Wednesday to close a quarter of the state's hospital beds and cancel
one in four elective surgery sessions.

The key issue in the dispute is the government's push to abolish nurse-to-patient ratios
in the state's hospitals, which the nurses want to retain.

Nurses are also seeking an eight per cent annual pay rise, while the government has
offered three per cent.

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KEYWORD: NURSES VIC CLOSURES

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