SWAN Hill healthcare workers are being enticed to remain in their roles through the challenging winter months with a one-off $3000 support payment from the Victorian Government.
A Healthcare Worker Winter Retention and Surge Payment, alongside other practical help like free meals, will soon flow to Victoria’s healthcare workers, in the hope, according to the government, of attracting and retaining critically important staff.
The $353 million package will offer the payments to all staff working in public hospitals and ambulance services – including nurses, midwives, doctors, allied health professionals, paramedics, ward clerks and patient services assistants.
Swan Hill District Health chief executive Peter Abraham welcomed the package.
“We think it’s a wonderful way to recognise the extremely hard work of our healthcare workers, particularly over the past few years and we look forward to staff receive these payments on acknowledgement of that,” he said in a statement.
He previously told The Guardian staff were walking away from the sector because of burnout from COVID.
Mr Abraham said the health service was also “suffering significantly” from staff shortages.
“Staff are tired, exhausted and been working 12-hour shifts,” he said while addressing concerns about a surge in emergency department presentations.
“Many nurses have left the profession because they’ve just had enough.
“It’s been really challenging to find the workforce when we are being strangled by bigger health services … every hospital in Australia, in the world, is in the same position.”
Mr Abraham said that on any one day, the service had 20 staff on sick leave, but not all COVID-related.
“We do have COVID in the community and within our staff and currently look after COVID patients,” he said.
“Mostly staff are tired and also getting sick, getting the flu and needing personal leave to sort thing out … they need holidays, they are generally just run down with 12-hour shifts, sometimes seven day a week.
“It’s really tough going and I don’t see light at the end of the tunnel in a hurry, either.”
The government revealed health staff in both clinical and non-clinical roles “who have also been working under immense pressure” in roles critical to the functioning of our health system will receive the payment, including those working in cleaning, food services and laundry services.
“Over the past few months, health services have experienced challenges in filling night shifts – which is why the package will also include free meals for workers who put their hands up to work overnight from July until the end of the year,” the government said.
To be eligible for the full package, workers will need to be employed by a public health service by July 1 and still be employed on September 30. The payments will be made in two rounds, one after August 15 and one after September 30.
Those who start between July 1 and September 30 will be eligible for a pro-rata payment, providing an added incentive to help attract more staff to public hospitals.
“Our people are our health system’s greatest asset and this is just one way for us to recognise and support their efforts and ensure nurses, doctors, paramedics, allied health and support staff are there when we need them most,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.
