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Summer 2008

Mersey Community Hospital Returns to Original Resting Place

HACSU members at Mersey Community Hospital (MCH) have, once again, seen a full circle of ownership of the hospital.

Since 2003, HACSU members have experienced the State Government transfer the MCH to private providers, and those private providers transfer the hospital back to the State Government.

Each of these processes has come with a great deal of stress for members not knowing what their future held.

In November 2007, the reshuffle recommenced, and after months of speculation around cutting of services from the MCH as part of the State Governments new Tasmanian Health Plan, the hospital was taken over by the Federal Howard Government.

Significant funding was delivered to the facility and after an extensive period of negotiations with HACSU, all of our member's employment matters were secured to the Commonwealth.

But with the change Government after the recent federal election also came a change of mindset about the MCH.

The Commonwealth had unsuccessfully advertised for tenders to take up the management of the hospital and looked at several different models of governance for the hospital.

After extensive cabinet discussion, a decision was made to hand the management duties of the hospital back to the State Government.

The Federal Government still owns and funds the Hospital but the State Government now manages and operates the facility.

This decision has created more negotiations for HACSU to secure our member's employment back from the Commonwealth to the State Government.

A memorandum of understanding between the Department of Health and Human Services and HACSU was signed, which incorporated all matters to do with the transition of employment of staff.

After countless meetings and negotiations MCH member's employment have made a back flip and returned to where they originally started.

MCH HACSU Worksite Committee member Wendy Wisiewski said members are simply warn out and tired of the ups and downs that they have faced over the years regarding the ownership of the hospital.

"Some staff members have seen up to 10 different CEOs at the hospital, and are simply hoping for stability," she said.

"But staff members stick together here; we're all a bit like family and assist each other through it all.

"It's good to know that HACSU is also taking care of all the Industrial issues behind the scenes as well as keeping our employment secure at every step."

The Hospital is now known as the Mersey Community Hospital rather that the NWRH Mersey Campus.

"Everyone at the Hospital is at least happy we have a separate identity after the transition back to the State," Wendy said.