https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... vid-crisisCritically understaffed public hospitals in New South Wales are planning to fly in nurses from overseas, a leaked memo reveals, as managers beg staff to cancel leave and take on extra shifts amid surging Covid cases.
It comes as a state health policy change will allow health workers who are close contacts to be recalled to their jobs, the Guardian understands, before completing their seven-day isolation period, if they are considered essential. More than 2,000 health workers are currently isolating due to Covid exposure.
At St George hospital in Sydney’s south, the burden of increased hospital presentations and isolation orders was laid bare in a grim end-of-year email sent to all nursing staff, pleading for them to cancel leave.
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The internal email, obtained by Guardian Australia, warns the hospital “can’t seem to keep up with the exposures and positive staff”, despite concerted efforts to source nurses.
“We have commenced the process for overseas recruitment,” the email stated.
The last resort had been taken after managers approached more than seven local nursing and midwifery labour agencies, an effort which yielded just one additional registered nurse.
Additionally, the hospital had approached private hospitals for workers and pulled back secondments, but had not been able to staff its wards sufficiently.
The bulk of those hospitalised are from the small minority not vaccinated—get the jab if you have not already!
