Call the HACSU Helpline
1300 88 00 32

more info

Autumn 2004

Breakthrough for Health Professionals

Di Brotheridge, Nicola Bennett and Roseanne Robinson work in the Dental Section of the Community Health Centre in the North West Region. Dental therapists and other health professionals will be beneficiaries of the special clause within the EBA which allows for additional claims by health professionals which will address the current recruitment and retention crisis of health professionals in Tasmania.

HACSU negotiated this special clause to ensure the continued provision of services in Tasmania, making sure Tasmanians are not forced to travel to the mainland to access these services.

As an example, a professional services level 3, 2nd year employee's annual salary will jump by more than $9,000 by the end of the agreement.

Another crucial part of the enterprise agreement supported by members is the clause which will allow for further negotiations and a further claim by HACSU on behalf of groups facing special circumstances.

This clause is specifically aimed at health professionals, particularly groups such as radiation therapists and radiographers, who are experiencing chronic shortages.

With the shortage in supply and the rise in demand and wages on the mainland, there are real fears that unless something is done some of these services will not be able to be offered in Tasmania, forcing people to travel to the mainland to access services.

HACSU State Secretary, Chris Brown, said that situation could not be allowed to develop and it was important this matters was addressed.

"Although the situation is more dire in some professions than others, there are shortages across just about every group of health professionals," Chris Brown said.

"The fact is that we are competing with facilities on the mainland that are luring health professionals away from Tasmania. Obviously we offer a better lifestyle but we also have to make sure we are in the ball-park on conditions.
That's the hard world of supply and demand we live in."

"If we don't address this, there will be even greater expense and time delays for Tasmanians who will have to access these services in another State."

"The Public Sector Unions Wages Agreement outcome signifies a significant change in the way health professionals may now address specific issues relating to wages, conditions and issues affecting recruitment and retention."

"The Department in it's own report "The Allied Health Professional Workforce Planning Status Report" finalised last year, outlines critical problems across professions in filling vacant positions and stemming the tide of staff turnover."

"Tasmania is doubly disadvantaged both in terms of wages and conditions and training."

"In Tasmania very few of the professions are offered training. This means that we have to compete with other States to attract staff to Tasmania."

"Secondly, Tasmanian conditions for health professionals are well below the national average, causing even further difficulties in attracting staff."

"We will be commencing negotiations with the Government after the finalisation of the main agreement, seeking to solve the recruitment and retention crisis for health professionals, and can ensure the continuation of
services in Tasmania."

HACSU officials are currently undertaking a process to determine what are the major issues for Health Professionals and what priorities should be established in the upcoming bargaining process with Government.

Members are urged to discuss issues with colleagues and feed these issues back through their Health Professional Sub Branch Executive Representatives.

Current Sub Branch Representative members are:

Helen Burnet Public Podiatry -President

Sean Claridge Public Radiography

Wade Clarkson Public Pathology

David Colemen Public Environmental Health

Michael Coombs Private Radiograpy

Jeremy Cowden Public Psychology

Maryanne Davis Public Psychology

Leigh Gorringe Public Dental Therapy

Elizabeth Lamond Public Dental Therapy

Ian Payne Public - Physiotherapy

Pru Peschar Public - Social Work

Martin Pracy Public - Medical Physicist

Helen Tubb Public - Radiation Therapy

Michael Wingrove Public - Speech Pathology