CONTENTS
lamp THE
CONTACTS NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association For all membership enquiries and assistance, including Lamp subscriptions and change of address, contact our Sydney office.
VOLUME 70 No.4 MAY 2013
Sydney Office 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017 (all correspondence) T 8595 1234 (metro) 1300 367 962 (non-metro) F 9662 1414 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au W www.nswnma.asn.au Hunter Office 8-14 Telford Street, Newcastle East NSW 2300
COVER STORY
12 | Country rallies for ratios
NSWNMA Communications Manager Janaki Chellam-Rajendra T 8595 1258
Thousands of nurses and midwives throughout rural and regional New South Wales have organised local rallies in support of our 2013 Public Health System pay and conditions campaign.
FOR ALL EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES, LETTERS AND DIARY DATES: T 8595 1234 E lamp@nswnma.asn.au M 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017 Produced by Hester Communications T 9568 3148
PHOTOGRAPH: Robin Wright
Press Releases Send your press releases to: F 9662 1414 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au
REGULARS
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Editorial Your letters News in brief Ask Judith Social Media Nurse Uncut Nursing research online Crossword Books Movies of the month Diary dates
NHS
QUEENSLAND HEALTH
20 | Queensland: health cuts one day, privatised the next The Campbell Newman Horror Show is touring Queensland with massive job cuts in health biting throughout the state and the privatisation of public hospitals on the agenda.
Editorial Committee • Brett Holmes, NSWNMA General Secretary • Judith Kiejda, NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary • Coral Levett, NSWNMA President • Roz Norman, Tamworth Base Hospital • Elsie May Henson, Barraba Multi Purpose Service • Peg Hibbert, Hornsby & Ku-Ring-Gai Hospital • Michelle Cashman, Long Jetty Continuing Care • Richard Noort, Justice Health Advertising Patricia Purcell T 8595 2139 or 0416 259 845 or F 9662 1414 E ppurcell@nswnma.asn.au Records and Information Centre – Library To find old articles in The Lamp, or to borrow from the NSWNMA nursing and health collection, contact: Jeannette Bromfield, RIC Coordinator T 8595 2175 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au
AGED CARE
The Lamp ISSN: 0047-3936
22 | Lack of nurses leads to system failure
26 | Pay rise for Mercy nurses
Union membership pays off for staff at two nursing homes in the state’s southwest.
COMPETITION
9 | Win a Central Coast escape
457 VISAS
28 | Train Australians first says Gillard The Prime Minister says it is wrong to staff the health sector with foreigners on temporary visas while neglecting the training of young Australians.
General disclaimer The Lamp is the official magazine of the NSWNMA. Views expressed in articles are contributors’ own and not necessarily those of the NSWNMA. Statements of fact are believed to be true, but no legal responsibility is accepted for them. All material appearing in The Lamp is covered by copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission. The NSWNMA takes no responsibility for the advertising appearing herein and it does not necessarily endorse any products advertised. Privacy Privacy statement: The NSWNMA collects personal information from members in order to perform our role of representing their industrial and professional interests. We place great emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the privacy and security of your personal information. Personal information is protected under law and can only be released to someone else where the law requires or where you give permission. If you have concerns about your personal information please contact the NSWNMA office. If you are still not satisfied that your privacy is being maintained you can contact the Privacy Commission. Subscriptions for 2013 Free to all Association members. Professional members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $50. Individuals $78, Institutions $130, Overseas $140. T H E L A M P M AY 2 0 1 3 | 3