The Lamp August 2007

lamp the

magazine of the NSW Nurses’ Association

volume 64 no.7 August 2007

Print Post Approved: PP241437/00033

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ABOUT THE LAMP

C O N T E N T S

Contacts NSW NURSES’ ASSOCIATION For all membership enquiries and assistance, including Lamp subscriptions and change of address, contact our Sydney office.

SYDNEY OFFICE 43 Australia Street Camperdown NSW 2050 PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 (all correspondence) T 8595 1234 (metro) 1300 367 962 (non-metro) F 9550 3667 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au W www.nswnurses.asn.au HUNTER OFFICE 120 Tudor Street Hamilton NSW 2303 ILLAWARRA OFFICE L1, 63 Market Street Wollongong NSW 2500

Cover story

LAMP THE

VOLUME NO !UGUST

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From local action, big things grow &ROM LOCAL ACTION

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Cover Delegates at the NSWNA Annual Conference Photography by Belinda Rolland

NSWNA COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Noel Hester T 8595 2153 NSWNA COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT Russell Burns T 8595 1219 For all Lamp editorial enquiries, letters and diary dates: Editorial Enquiries T 8595 1234 E lamp@nswnurses.asn.au M PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 THE LAMP PRODUCED BY Lodestar Communications T 9698 4511

News in brief

Special people

9 9 9 11 11

37 Helping Ali have a brighter future 39 Busy nurse and volunteer makes the Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Five dollars goes a long way in East Timor Freedom for death row nurses Mental health nurses’ forum Patients to deliver judgement on health service Strong local support for Bankstown nurses

NSWNA education program

Lifestyle 40 Movie review 43 Book me

11 What’s on in September ’07

Regular columns

NSWNA annual conference

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12 We stand together: NSWNA 62nd Annual Conference

Agenda 22 ‘Take-over’ adds to Aboriginal torment 24 Indigenous plan no solution to abuse

Choices in the 2007 Federal Election 26 The Lamp examines the different health funding priorities of the Coalition and Labor 28 Preventative health makes economic sense

Industrial issues 30 Back-money win for aged care nurses 31 $10.26 for lowest-paid Australians 33 IR shorts

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Editorial

by Brett Holmes 6 Your letters to The Lamp 35 Ask Judith 45 Our nursing crossword 46 Diary dates

Competition 41 Win tickets to Miss Saigon and luxury accomodation

Giveaways 41 30 double passes to see Once, 50 double passes to Dr Plonk and 25 double passes to Mr. Brooks

NSWNA positions vacant 44 Professional Officer – Recruitment Liason Officer and Organiser

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PRESS RELEASES Send your press releases to: T 9550 3667 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au THE LAMP EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Brett Holmes, NSWNA General Secretary Judith Kiejda, NSWNA Assistant General Secretary Coral Levett, NSWNA President John Lyons, Coonabarabran District Hospital Jonathan Farry, RPA Hospital Mark Kearin, Wyong Hospital Roz Norman, Tamworth Base Hospital Stephen Metcalfe, Lismore Base Hospital Therese Riley, St George Hospital ADVERTISING Patricia Purcell T 8595 2139 or 0416 259 845 F 9550 3667 E ppurcell@nswnurses.asn.au RECORDS AND INFORMATION CENTRE - LIBRARY To find old articles in The Lamp, or to borrow from the NSWNA library’s nursing and health collection, contact: Jeannette Bromfield, RIC Coordinator T 8595 2175 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au THE LAMP ISSN: 0047-3936 General disclaimer The Lamp is the official magazine of the NSWNA. Views expressed in articles are contributors’ own and not necessarily those of the NSWNA. 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 NSWNA takes no responsibility for the advertising appearing herein and it does not necessarily endorse any products advertised.

Privacy Privacy statement: The NSWNA 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 NSWNA office. If you are still not satisfied that your privacy is being maintained you can contact the Privacy Commission.

Subscriptions Free to all Association members. Ex-members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $44.

THE LAMP AUGUST Individuals $60, Institutions $90, Overseas2007 $100.3

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$10 David Jones gift vouchers For the period from 30 June – 30 December 2007, recruiters will receive a $10, instead of a $5, David Jones gift voucher for every new member they sign up.

Membership application forms Hurry! Call the Association now for your recruitment kits and recruitment incentive scheme details.

Ph: 8595 1234 (metropolitan area) or 1300 367 962 (non-metropolitan area) or go to www.nswnurses.asn.au

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E D I T O R I A L

BY BRETT HOLMES GENERAL SECRETARY

Abbott’s attack a slur on nurses g Robust debate in Parliament is to be welcomed but there is no place for slander and the abuse of nurses.

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here is a place for robust debate in the arenas of politics and policy. In fact it is healthy if we are to have a vibrant democracy.

But that debate should be conducted with respect and should concentrate on issues and policy.

On 13 June, the federal health minister Tony Abbott, replying to a Dorothy Dixer from Jackie Kelly (Liberal member for Lindsay) and abusing his parliamentary privilege, attacked NSW nurses campaigning to protect their rights at work. Tony Abbott said that elective surgery waiting lists in NSW were blowing out because ‘the nurses are all at ACTU indoctrination lessons’.

This is an unjustified slur on the professional integrity of nurses. It also insults nurses’ intelligence.

In the following days, the Minister for Workplace Relations, Joe Hockey, sustained this attack against nurses in the media.

These outrageous and nasty outbursts are revealing of the bankruptcy of the federal government’s position on industrial relations. The union movement has been very effective in exposing the brutal consequences of John Howard’s IR laws for many working families.

Now, federal government spokespeople like Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey have abandoned any semblance of respectful and informed debate. The only card they have left is invective.

secret government document reveals the true ideological dimension of John Howard’s laws and the extent to which his gov-

Funding allows federal govt to call the shots on health

Abbott said that elective surgery waiting lists in NSW were blowing out because ‘the nurses are all at ACTU indoctrination lessons’.

Secret government document flags AWAs for all WorkChoices has always been a deeply ideological project. The recent exposure of a

John Howard was quick to deny that this would happen to nurses but we do have to ask the question: why is this scenario being contemplated in the first place and can the government be trusted when senior Liberal politicians like Abbott and Hockey have so little respect for dedicated, hard-working nurses who are keeping our hospitals and nursing homes running?

ernment wants to push its agenda (see IR Shorts, page 33).

The Department of Workplace Relations brief sought consultancies to model the impact of the greater use of AWAs. One of the scenarios to be modelled was the impact of all employees in Australia being moved into the federal industrial relations system.

This should set off alarm bells for all public hospital nurses, for this scenario would be aimed squarely at you as well as other emergency workers such as fire fighters and police.

While the state government is responsible for the running of our public hospitals and the employment of nurses within them, it is heavily reliant on the federal government for funding. This gives Tony Abbott a lot of leverage on health policy. The Commonwealth, with some stealth, has been reducing its proportion of health funding for some time (see story, page 26). The tertiary education sector provides us with a precedent for the federal government linking funding with the offering of AWAs to everyone working in our universities.

John Howard’s strong ideological commitment to AWAs and the federal government’s control over the health system through its control of funding poses major risks for public hospital nurses.

It is one of the reasons why we will continue our Nurses Rights at Work campaign right up till federal polling day. Another is the vulnerability of aged care nurses already swept into the federal system.

We will continue to point out to the wider community the negative implications of the Howard government’s IR policies for nurses and the health and aged care systems. We will not be intimidated or bullied by Tony Abbott or anyone else out of fighting for our rights at work.n THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 5

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LETTER of the month

L E T T E R S

Aster Haskas

Aiming for closure with Rose Pitman I write in response to Rose Pitman’s letter (“Different perspective on vaccination”) in The Lamp, June 2007.

Definitely the presumption that we are immunised and therefore protected, allows workers to be at the ‘coal-face’ when they may have symptoms.

But still, immunisations that have been around for over 80 years have decreased epidemics and deaths.

Aster Haskas, CNS, NICU Westmead Hospital

Disillusioned about state of aged care I started nursing almost 50 years ago. I am still nursing but becoming more and more disillusioned every day with the whole system. I work as a NUM 3 in an aged care facility where the paperwork

has become so bad that it takes one away from the most important part of the job, which is caring for the elderly.

I have worked four years past my retirement date as I feel for these elderly folk. These Australians have made this country what it is today and to see how the government treats them is disgusting.

I am a swinging voter and over the years neither of the ‘big’ parties have even come close to acknowledging them, in any shape or form.

This brings me to the point of one of my complaints. Why, when our union was supposed to be non-political, do we give so much to the Labor Party? No one asked me! OUR MONEY COULD BE BETTER SPENT! Do you really feel that Kevin Rudd will improve these disgusting IR laws?

I am sure our forefathers are rolling in their graves, as they fought hard to get our benefits and with one fell swoop of the pen, Howard has wiped them all away.

Let Howard go and live in America!

Has he seen the homeless people living in the streets there?

Marian Glanville, NUM, Villawood Nursing Home.

Editor’s note: The NSWNA is not affiliated to the ALP.

Angie Edwards, Pam Larsen, Pam Urquhart and Pauline Smith

Tod Adams

Help from Edith Cavell scholarship I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and the Trustees of the Edith Cavell Trust for the scholarship that was awarded to me to present an oral paper at The Respiratory Nurses Interest Group Annual Conference as part of The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand’s Annual Scientific meeting, which was held in Auckland in March.

The scholarship contributed towards the cost of travel, accommodation and registration.

Without this support, this cultural, nursing and health experience would have been prohibitive.

I would strongly recommend for all NSWNA members to apply for a scholarship through the trust, as the process was simple, the rewards outstanding and the educational and networking exposure gained from a group of like-minded, trans-Tasman counterparts.

Again, my sincere appreciation for the opportunities the trust provided me with.

Tod Adams CNC, Shoalhaven COPD Service.

Tod Adams won the prize for this month’s letter of the month, a $50 David Jones voucher.

Help from NSWNA celebrating International Nurses’ Day Dubbo Private Hospital staff celebrated International Nurses’ Day on 19 May 2007 due to our annual Dubbo Show being held on 12 May. On behalf of the nursing staff of Dubbo Private Hospital, we would like to thank the NSW Nurses’ Association for your very generous donation of the Mosby’s Nursing Dictionary and the sponsored catering of our afternoon tea. These items helped us celebrate International Nurses’ Day in style and made it a positive event for all who attended.

Around 30 nurses, both on and off duty, and including some children, had an enjoyable time at the afternoon tea.

6 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

The Mayor of Dubbo was also on hand to draw out the prizes. The ‘Mosby’s Nursing Dictionary’ was proudly won by Annie Dean, a Registered Nurse working part-time in our Day Procedure Unit. All others attending the day received a small gift, thanks to our sponsors.

This celebration is a first at Dubbo Private Hospital and from the positive response, we are looking forward to making this a yearly event.

Once again, thank you for contributing to our special day.

Angie Edwards, RN, Secretary Dubbo Private Hospital Branch

LETTER of the month The letter judged the best each month will be awarded a $50 DJ’s voucher, courtesy Medicraft, Australia’s largest manufacturer of hospital beds and furniture. For more information on Medicraft products, visit www.medicraft.com.au or call 9569 0255.

Got something to say?

Send your letters to: Editorial Enquiries email lamp@nswnurses.asn.au fax 9550 3667 mail PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 Please include a photograph along with your name, address, phone and membership number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.

I plead, stop brainwashing nurses with your propaganda, let them make up their own minds!

Brett Quinn, Nurse Manager Tweed Hospital, Ballina NSW

Brett Quinn

Is NSWNA on political bandwagon?

CLAP CLAP CLAP! Well done for another piece of political propaganda at members’ expense. I read in the latest issue of The Lamp that Ms Kiejda expects Mr Abbott to apologise to every single nurse in NSW for his comments made in parliament. I have not been brainwashed into jumping onto your political/IR bandwagon and therefore do not expect an apology.

Having worked in Sydney and now in the Northern Rivers I have not come across a single nurse who has been negatively affected by the new IR Laws.

I also see a two-page spread with Julia Gillard and Maxine McKew having cups of tea with nurses. The similarity with kissing babies is remarkable.

Mention is made of our pay rise from May 2005. Nurses had to threaten strike action for the NSW Labor Government to make an acceptable offer. How soon we forget! How can a union support a Labor government that clearly does not value nurses as professionals.

Finally, I see that the union has stooped to a new low with your merchandising … propaganda shirts for kids!

I have a lot of people to thank for where I am now. I have food, shelter, clothing and a great lifestyle for my wife and three beautiful children. Part of this is due to the Coalition government and the way they have managed the economy over the past decade.

Editor’s note: At The Lamp what we are trying to do is present information and analysis (as often as we can from independent sources) and a union perspective, which informs nurses so they can ask questions we think need to be asked about John Howard’s IR laws.

The Liberal Party perspective is adequately put forward by powerful media interests, especially the Murdoch press, business groups and the government itself. In fact, it has been reported that the government – not the Liberal Party – will spend up to $200 million of taxpayers’ money on advertising on what is effectively Liberal party policy this year.

We have published many stories in The Lamp about how the laws are impacting on nurses now swept into the federal system, particularly in aged care, as well on workers in other industries. We do this so nurses like you, who may not yet have personally met someone that has been affected, are aware that other people, including nurses, are getting badly hurt.

Your comment that nurses had to threaten to strike to get the NSW Labor government to make an acceptable offer is right and is evidence that the NSWNA is prepared to challenge any political party if it is in the interests of NSW nurses. We would add that it is because we have a state system that we can take industrial action. And it was because of the intervention of the Iemma government that public hospital nurses are protected, for now, from John Howard’s laws.

In our considered opinion, shared by many others including churches, academics, economists and community organisations, these laws are harmful to the interests of working people.

The stark reality is, the only way to get rid of the laws is to change the government that made them.

EVERY LETTER PUBLISHED

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THE TROUBLE WITH TUESDAYS

You may be finding it hard to talk to our information officers on Tuesdays.

This is because Tuesday is the one day of the week when all our staff are in the office for staff and team meetings. These meetings are essential for information distribution and planning activities.

If at all possible, please don’t ring on this day as there can be considerable delays. But if you need urgent assistance, you will get it.

Our information department receives approximately 900 calls per week, and the phones are ringing hot from 8am to 5.30pm.

We are working hard to meet your needs and thank you for your patience.

Call 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (non-metro).

go further than you ever imagined www.nursing.usyd.edu.au

The Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery offers an amazing array of Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Master’s courses including Honours.

There are also a number of research degrees, including professional doctorates that prepare nurses for leadership in research, teaching and administration.

MORE INFORMATION For entry requirements and more information visit our website at www.nursing.usyd.edu.au, phone +61 2 9351 0693 or email fon@nursing.usyd.edu.au

The University of Sydney

GO FURTHER go beyond THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 7

The biggest risk with the Federal IR laws, is thinking you’ll always be protected.

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8 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

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N E W S I INN BBRRI IEEFF

FIVE DOLLARS Freedom for GOES A LONG WAY

IN EAST TIMOR he $5+ East Timor Nurses’ Appeal has so far raised $85,000 – enough to build 17 new homes for nurses and their families made homeless as a result of politically motivated arson and looting.

The Australian Nursing Federation is on the way to reaching its target of $400,000, which will build 65 more houses to accommodate all nurses whose homes were destroyed in the violence.

‘Australians have a special place in their hearts for the people of East Timor. When East Timor needed help after the Indonesian withdrawal, Australians were very generous. The ANF is hoping they will be just as generous now,’ said Jill Iliffe, Federal Secretary of the ANF. ‘If every nurse in Australia donated just $5 this would exceed the cost of rehousing the nurses, who work tirelessly despite their hardships,’ Jill said.

Donations can be made through the ANF website at www.anf.org.au.

death row nurses

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Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor were convicted in 2004 of infecting children with the AIDS virus at a hospital in Libya.

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ight years in captivity has ended for five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to death in Libya for deliberately infecting children with HIV. The foreign medical workers were freed last month as part of a political deal to improve Libya’s ties with the European Union.

Libya accused the six of deliberately infecting more than 400 children with HIV. Fifty of the children died.

The medical workers, jailed since 1999, were initially sentenced to death, but later had their sentence commuted to life imprisonment. They deny the charge and say their confessions were extracted under torture.

Their case was taken up by numerous health organisations including the Australian Nursing Federation, which said the scientific evidence clearly indicated the children were infected before the foreign medical workers arrived in Libya.

ANF federal secretary Jill Iliffe said: ‘Rather than attributing blame to

innocent people, the Libyan government should focus on implementing stringent practices in infection control in hospitals and ensure the children and their families receive ongoing medical and social care.’

The deal brokered by the European Union, which Bulgaria joined this year, involved the establishment of an international fund to care for AIDS-infected Libyan children and the EU helped to upgrade two hospitals and a medical centre in Benghazi, where the outbreak occurred.

The Bulgarian nurses now want legal action taken against the people they say tortured them while they were in prison.

‘We can forgive, but we cannot forget what has happened to us,’ said Nasya Nenova, one of the nurses.

The nurses received an official pardon from the president of Bulgaria soon after their release. This angered the families of the infected children who have set up an association to press their case.

The association called for the rearrest of the foreign medical workers and demanded that Libya cease all relations with Bulgaria.n

MENTAL HEALTH NURSES’ FORUM The NSWNA is holding a Mental Health Nurses’ Forum on 24 August to discuss a broad range of topics and issues in the area of forensic mental health.

Keynote speaker Dr Trish Martin, from the Victorian Institute of Mental Health,

will be discussing risk assessments, OHS issues, aggression management and give an overview of developments in Victorian forensic mental health.

Other speakers will focus on law reform, partnerships in mental health and current services.

All nurses and students are welcome, even if not working in a mental health area.

For more information, call Carolyn Kulling on 02 8595 1234.

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 9

D ra w n 30 Decem b 2007 er

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TASMANIA Spend six days exploring the hidden wonders of Australia’s island state.

Fly into the vibrant cities of Hobart or Launceston, then wander the stunning coastline surrounding Freycinet Lodge in the East, travel deep into World Heritage wilderness from Strahan Village in the West, and climb stunning glacier-carved mountain peaks before returning to Cradle Mountain Chateau in the state’s heart. The prize also includes flights to and from Sydney for two and 7-day car hire courtesy of Thrifty Rent-A-Car. 10 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

Here’s how you can win c cancel your payroll deductions and start paying your fees

through direct debit and you will go in the lucky draw and/or c convince your colleagues to convert from payroll deductions to

direct debit and you, and each of your colleagues who switch to direct debit, will go in the lucky draw and/or c sign up a new member using the direct debit method of

paying their fees and you, and the new member, will go in the lucky draw.

Membership Application forms or Direct Debit forms can be downloaded from our website www.nswnurses.asn.au Alternatively call the NSWNA on 8595 1234 (metro area) or 1300 367 962 (non-metro area) for more information.

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N E W S I INN BBRRI IEEFF

Patients to deliver judgement on health service

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ore than 200,000 NSW residents will get an opportunity to have their say on the health service as a part of the inaugural NSW Health Annual Patient Survey. The survey will be sent to people who received treatment in the public health service in February 2007.

‘By collecting first-hand accounts of patient experiences in a range of health settings, we can identify clear opportunities to improve those services

and ultimately deliver better patient care,’ said Reba Meagher, Minister for Health.

The survey will ask questions about various aspects of care including access to care, information and education, continuity of care and transition after discharge.

The results will be available by the end of the year and will be followed up annually, Ms Meagher said.

‘The results of this survey will inform regular reports about the things that we are doing well within the public health system as well as areas where we need to improve,’ she said.n

Strong local support for Bankstown nurses

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ankstown Lidcombe Hospital has received $40,000 from Bankstown Sports Club as a part of the Bankstown Sports Club Nurses Scholarship Fund. The fund is in its second year and the club has long been a supporter of the hospital.

‘The club is always very willing to support the hospital and staff in tangible ways,’ said Margaret Brown, Director of Nursing and Midwifery.

‘We are fortunate to share strong community ties in the local area and it is great that our nurses’ hard work and professionalism are acknowledged and encouraged by the community,’ Margaret said.

Fifteen scholarships were awarded this year; the selection criteria focuses on international and national study tours, conferences and provide continuing education support.

‘We place an emphasis on supporting staff to attend international or national events that allow them to participate in the broader nursing community,’ she said.

‘We are a global society so we want to ensure our nurses become familiar with contemporary practice

and professional issues, and have the opportunity to network broadly.

‘These activities have given our nurses a big morale boost and really opened their eyes to the opportunities they have. Our application numbers rose

‘We are fortunate to share strong community ties in the local area and it is great that our nurses’ hard work and professionalism are acknowledged and encouraged by the community.’ from last year and I expect next year to draw even more interest.’

A UK study tour, a study conference in Chicago, USA and various domestic conferences are some of the educational events that the 2007 recipients have chosen to attend with their scholarship grants. n

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cation progr u d e a am swn

WHAT’S ON

IN SEPTEMBER ‘07 s Basic Foot Care for RNs & ENs 3–4 September, Newcastle, 2 days VETAB accredited course. Provides nurses with the competence to provide basic foot care.

Members $203 • Non-members $350 Branch Officials $175 s Your New Agreement in Aged Care 11 September at Lismore Worker’s Club and 19 September at NSWNA An introduction to WorkChoices, collective bargaining and building power for bargaining at your workplace.

Contact Tim Shaw on 02 8595 1234 or email tshaw@nswnurses.asn.au s Stop Smoking Successfully 12 September, Liverpool, 1 day Learn how to create the best possible opportunity to stop smoking permanently.

Members $85.50 • Non-members $226 Branch Officials $74 s Legal & Professional Issues for Nurses 14 September, Liverpool, ½ day Topics covered include the Nurses and Midwivery Act 1991, potential liability, documentation, role of disciplinary tribunals including the NMB, writing statements.

Members $39.50 • Non-members $85 Branch Officials $28 s Aged Care Nurses Forum 2007 14 September, Camperdown, 1 day The forum will discuss the current clinical and professional issues in aged care.

Members $30 • Non-members $50 Branch Officials $28 s Stress Management for Nurses – FREE 21 September, Camperdown, 1 day Intended to heighten awareness of mental health needs of nurses and proven useful exercises to assist nurses to manage stress at work. s Drug & Alcohol Nurse Forum 28 September, NSWNA, 1 day Seminar is suitable for all nurses.

Members $30 • Non-members $50 Branch Officials $28 For registration and more information: go to www.nswnurses.asn.au THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 11 or ring Carolyn Kulling on 1300 367 962.

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NSWNA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

We stand together g How nurses can make a difference in this year’s federal election was the focus of the NSWNA 62nd Annual Conference. Held 18-20 July at Randwick Racecourse, 420 delegates gathered for three days of inspiring presentations and workshops which highlighted the election choices for nurses, and armed delegates with the knowledge and skills to stand up for the rights of fellow nurses and workers.

12 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

STANDING UP FOR OUR RIGHTS IN A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT

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n his address at this year’s Annual Conference, NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes said that protecting nurses from the impact of WorkChoices has dominated the work of the union throughout the year.

‘A significant change in how our organisation works was required to respond to this new, hostile environment and we undertook a restructure and created two new teams to better serve members – the Strategic Industrial and Bargaining Team and the Member Organising Enforcement Team.

‘Preparing for bargaining in the aged care sector has been our biggest challenge over the past 12 months. But I am confident we have made the changes and committed the resources to put us in the best possible position to undertake these tasks in the face of the threats and challenges posed by WorkChoices.

‘At last year’s conference delegates endorsed the Nurse Power fund to help us fight these laws. This enabled us to develop a powerful campaign against the IR laws during the state election. Using real nurses to express our concerns about the changes in conditions proposed by the Liberal party, the coverage was far-reaching through the use of television, print media and billboards.

‘Throughout the year nurses have also benefited from significant industrial wins that have seen achievements in the areas of pay and conditions for nurses in all sectors.

These include the rollout of the final 4% payrise delivered under the Public Health System Award, increases in the amount and eligibility of the Continuing Education Allowance for nurses in the public health system, increases in the nursing home NAPSA, and the delivery of pay rises for nurses working in private hospitals that bargained with the NSWNA last year.’

Brett congratulated nurses for their role in standing up and protesting against the IR laws at their workplaces, in their communities and at rallies throughout the year. ‘Nurses have made their voices heard despite obstacles and the public denouncing by some of the country’s politicians. By standing up for the conditions they have all worked so hard for, nurses will be able to continue delivering the highest standard of care to their patients.’

Nicola Roxon talks to delegates about issues for nurses

SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION FOR NURSES

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n her address to Annual Conference, Federal Shadow Minister for Health Nicola Roxon said nurses can make a difference by how they vote in the federal election. ‘How we vote will affect our community and families. Your decision on polling day will affect what happens in the future.’

Nicola said there were clear differences in policy between Labor and Liberal.

‘Opposition leader Kevin Rudd has a different view to John Howard about how we should be investing in the future,’ she said.

In the area of health, Labor will be focusing on preventative health.

Public education will be a focus of Labor health policy.

Nicola Roxon wants a health system that supports nurses. ‘Unlike Tony Abbott, as Health Minister I won’t be accusing nurses of indoctrinating patients. There is no suggestion they would ever put their personal or political interests before their work.

‘Nurses work under extraordinary pressure, and they deserve our praise

Lorna Scott, NP, raised the issue of introducing a Medicare Item Number for nurse practitioners.

and gratitude. I want to do more for nurses.’

As part of this commitment, Nicola restated she would be establishing a position of Commonwealth Chief Nursing Officer if Labor is elected to government. The new position would strengthen nurses’ role and input to federal health policy.

In response to questions from delegates, Nicola said she would also consider HECS-free education for nurses, and introducing a Medicare Item Number for nurse practitioners so clients do not pay for prescriptions or diagnostic testing.n

Nicola Roxon with NSWNA Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda amd President Coral Levett THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 13

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NSWNA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Building a movement for change g Change is in the air … but to make it happen, each of us needs to make a commitment to get involved, said John Robertson, Secretary of Unions NSW.

P

ublic hospital nurses may not grasp how important the Your Rights at Work campaign is, said John Robertson in his address to Annual Conference.

‘You may not be affected if you are working in the public sector but if you have family working in the private sector they will be affected.

‘I have spent months on the road where I heard stories about everyday working people being hit by WorkChoices.

And the stories are horrific. People are losing their jobs, or losing pay and conditions. Workers and their families are being affected.

‘You try speaking out in rural areas, then try to get another job. You just won’t get one. No one wants to know you.

‘John Howard has not just imposed on us his unfair IR laws, he has imposed a culture in Australia where workers can be abused and you won’t get another job if you speak out. John Howard has reshaped Australia.

‘The Your Rights at Work campaign is about building a movement for change. It is succeeding because working families have got involved. It has shifted public opinion.

‘If you are worried about your kids or grandkids, you have a responsibility to get involved. You have to make a commitment to stand up and make a difference.

‘Each of us needs to make a commitment to get involved – it can be a sign in your front yard, one-to-one

Deborah Clarke

DISCIPLINED WITH NO RECOURSE

John Robertson

conversations, or join your local Your Rights at Work committee.

‘It is not enough to sit back and wait for someone else to do it.

‘John Howard is a desperate man. He will do anything to hold onto power. Last election he pulled out Tampa and threw kids overboard to win votes. We’ll wait and see what he’ll try this time.

‘But he can’t beat people getting out and having one-to-one conversations with members of their community.

‘Delegates, take away from this conference a commitment to making a difference, to do something to get rid of this rotten, miserable government.’n

Deborah Clarke, AIN at Booroongen Djugan Aboriginal Nursing Home, was threatened with disciplinary action. Deborah suspects this for standing up for safety at work.

‘Staff at the facility suffer assaults, they do double shifts. We had no OHS committee. I tried to improve safety at the workplace by getting up an OHS committee.

‘We need to stand together and stand up to protect rights at work.

We need a change of government to protect workers’ rights at work.

‘I involved WorkCover in the process, and they placed Booroongen Djugan Aboriginal Nursing Home on its list of dangerous worksites when they saw how bad things were.

‘In April, I tried to hold a union meeting but management said the union was not allowed on the site.

Under the IR laws, workers can’t hold meetings unless they have management permission.

‘So we held it just outside on the side of the road ...

‘We need to stand together and stand up to protect rights at work.

We need a change of government to protect workers’ rights at work.

14 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

Local heroes Standing up for nurses’ rights g The new IR laws are hurting nurses and their families. Conference delegates heard first-hand the stories of three nurses who were cut down

by WorkChoices … but then they stood up and decided to fight back.

Moira Devlin

EMPLOYER AGREES WITH SELF, WAGES AND CONDITIONS SLASHED Moira Devlin works as AiN at a nursing home in the north of Sydney. When it closed for renovation, Moira and other staff were moved to other sites run by her employer. She was assured she would be returning to the facility with the same pay and conditions when the renovations were finished.

‘But when we came back we were presented with a non-union agreement.

My title had changed from AiN to Lifestyle Officer. I was shocked and felt sick to the stomach. I felt deceived. I was no longer a nurse.

‘My boss said he could do this because it was a new building.

‘I didn’t sign anything but my first pay cheque was $70 less. When I looked into it I was getting no penalties, and no uniform allowance.

‘I was under a Greenfield Agreement where my employer has an agreement with himself. He used WorkChoices to argue that he was a new employer.

‘Greenfield agreements are not genuine agreements because you can’t have an agreement with only one party.

‘My conditions had been either altered, excluded or reduced. He wanted us to work harder for less money.

Sharon Pippen

FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY Sharon Pippen, CNS at President Private Hospital, doesn’t consider herself a local hero, but she wanted to warn delegates that some employers will take advantage of the new IR laws and behave badly.

Sharon has worked for many years at President Private Hospital, owned by Macquarie Health, and she said there seemed to be a good relationship between management and staff – that was before WorkChoices came in.

‘We realised that after our NAPSA expired in 2009, we would revert to the five minimum conditions set out in

the new IR laws. In order to protect our wages and conditions, we needed to negotiate a union collective agreement.

‘The Branch presented management with numerous resolutions asking to begin negotiations with the NSWNA for a collective agreement. Unfortunately, they failed to respond. Eventually we presented a timetable asking for a response – or we would take action.

‘Management then said if we took action, the staff involved would not get the planned pay increases. But we discovered these pay increases were fictitious, anyway.

‘We erected posters on telegraph poles, did a letter drop, wrote a letter to our local paper, The Leader. But despite this, and because of WorkChoices, the owners of President Private maintained the upper hand and refused to come to the negotiating table.

‘While we haven’t achieved a union collective agreement, we have raised awareness in our community of the injustice of John Howard’s WorkChoices legislation, which does not give Australians the right to bargain collectively. Hopefully, this will influence people’s voting pattern at the up-and-coming election. n THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 15

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NSWNA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

From local action, big things grow

F

ired up by John Robertson’s inspiring address about how nurses need to get involved to make a difference in this year’s election, delegates broke into groups to discuss ideas for getting active in the Your Rights at Work campaign in the lead-up to the federal election. From talking to people

at work or in your community about your concerns with the IR laws, wearing a YR@W t-shirt, attending YR@W committee meetings to holding a meeting at your workplace and helping out on polling booths, delegates were full of ideas about how to be part of a growing movement to get rid of the Howard government and its harmful IR laws.n

Discuss issues at BBQ Gai McPherson from Port Macquarie Community Health and Deborah Cameron from Mid North Coast Justice Health will hold a BBQ at work to get their colleagues thinking about choices this election.

Local group action

Petition at work

Delegates (clockwise from top left) Linda Perkins, Linda Hardman, Angela Pridham, Julie Hines, Scott Richardson, Annemarie Coleman and Anthony Percival from the Illawarra region plan to make a difference this federal election by being part of the Illawarra Your Rights at Work Group.

Deborah Ponig and Lynn Jones from Bowral District Hospital plan to organise a petition and hold meetings at work to discuss their concerns about the new IR laws with their workmates.

16 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

Gearing up for action Delegates from Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie also joined their local Your Rights at Work groups.

‘Workers will be worse off if we don’t get rid of Howard’ Gwen Simpson from Grafton Base Hospital will be wearing her Your Rights at Work T-shirt and having one-to-one conversations with members of her local community. ‘I’ll be telling them workers will be worse off if we don’t get rid of the Howard government at the federal election.’

Bringing home the message Cherie Desreaux and Clare Waite from RPA will place signs in their front yards supporting their local ALP candidate Anthony Albanese in the federal election. They also plan to help at the polling booth on election day.

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 17

Think you can’t lose your penalty rates?

Aged care nurses thought the same thing.

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18 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

s

NSWNA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Reba Meagher (centre left) and Debra Thoms (centre right) with NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes, President Coral Levett and Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda

CONGRATULATIONS BUT BE VIGILANT

,

NSW Health Minister Reba Meagher congratulated NSW nurses for the very public stand they have taken on WorkChoices.

‘Thanks for your outstanding efforts in protecting the working conditions of people in NSW,’ she said.

Reba said that it is important we recognise that WorkChoices is more than an industrial relations issue – it is also a health issue.

‘I have no doubt that if John Howard wins government he will insist on health funding being tied to nurses accepting AWAs.’

, MORE

NURSES BUT CHALLENGES REMAIN, SAYS CHIEF NURSE

Debra Thoms, the Chief Nursing Officer, outlined the various recruitment and retention strategies employed by the Nursing and Midwifery Office to deal with the chronic nurse shortage.

She said that, while the problem of recruitment remains formidable, there have been an extra 1,600 nurses added to the system in 11 months with a small reduction in the turnover rate.

‘The challenges of the future will be the shortages in the rural and remote areas.’

3

HELPING HAND FOR FARMERS

The NSWNA Drought Relief Fund was officially launched at the conference by Graeme Eggleston, the NSW Drought Coordinator of the Department of Primary Industry (DPI).

Members are urged to donate to this worthwhile cause. Money raised by the Association will go directly to families in need to help make ends meet and provide food, as well as assisting with other initiatives of the DPI. Donations are tax deductible and can be made by mail, fax and the web.

For more information, go to www.nswnurses.asn.au and click on the Nurses’ Drought Appeal link.n

, PREPARING

FOR A UNION COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT TO PROTECT PAY AND CONDITIONS IN PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Under the grasp of WorkChoices, private hospital nurses will be especially vulnerable when their current agreements expire next year.

That’s why the NSWNA held a lunchtime forum at Annual Conference to discuss with 30 private hospital delegates the importance of preparing now for a union collective agreement to protect their pay and conditions.

Jenny Croft, Drought Support Worker, DPI, and Graeme Eggleston.

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 19

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NSWNA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Revved up for Our delegates are not only hard-working and committed campaigners, they also showed us what hard-partying guys and gals they are. Donning their most respectable and sensible outback attire â&#x20AC;&#x201C; akubras, moleskins, flannelette shirts, sky-high wigs ... rubber thong dresses ...

Giddy up: Carmel Price, Cheryl Sheehy and Tania Gleeson Winner of the best rural costume: Mary Louise Laxton (left) with Rebecca Nairne

Best dressed in the outback: urban cowboy Glen Mularvey (aka Frantique), Mr Farmer and Pertunia 20 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

, Grey ghost gums: Margaret Burgess and Chris Kirby

o tback action feather boas, kangaroos and crocodiles (as you do), they mingled at the annual conference dinner with colleagues and friends, then giddy-upped to the music of Reg Mombassa and his Dog Trumpet band. Step aside, Hoges, our nurses proved they rule in the Outback. n Croc Dundee Kevin Attard

Reg Mombassa

A bunch of swaggers from St George Hospital

. Up your butts: Chris Bulmer, Shirley Roach and Peter Jeffree

1 What stylish gals!

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 21

s

Community members at Mutitjulu send Mal Brough a strong message of protest.

A G E N D A

‘Take-over’ adds to Aboriginal torment g Nurses on the frontline are outraged at plans to take over remote Aboriginal communities.

T

he federal government is implementing measures to take over 73 remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, which has sparked strong concern and criticism from nurses on the front line.

Army troops and police have started moving in to remote Aboriginal communities to implement the first phase of the federal government’s radical intervention to stamp out child sex abuse in Aboriginal communities. One of the first communities targeted is Mutitjulu, home of the traditional owners of Uluru.

John Howard announced his ‘emergency plan’ after a report revealed widespread abuse of children in remote communities. The plan includes taking over Indigenous land titles and compulsory medical checks of children for sexual abuse.

Nurses working on the frontline delivering health care to members of these communities say these measures will exacerbate the problems affecting Aboriginal communities and will not address child abuse.

Howard announced the plan to combat child abuse in Aboriginal communities after the release in June of the Little Children are Sacred report by the Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children in the Northern Territory. The report blames ‘rivers of grog’ and the breakdown of traditional Aboriginal

‘We have been appealing to the federal government for many years to address serious disadvantage in Indigenous communities.’

Sally Goold

unemployment, the high prevalence of gambling, pornography, poor education, and poor housing – all contributing to a loss of identity and control, which leads to violence and abuse.

The report recommends that governments prioritise Aboriginal child sexual abuse as an issue of urgent national significance.

John Howard and his Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough conjured

The report reveals the extreme state of poor health in Aboriginal communities, alcohol and drug abuse, unemployment, the high prevalence of gambling, pornography, poor education, and poor housing. society for a child abuse endemic in remote communities.

The report reveals the extreme state of poor health in Aboriginal communities, alcohol and drug abuse, 22 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

their hastily devised plan to override laws in the Northern Territory – where federal government has constitutional power to intervene – to deal with what he called ‘a national emergency of child abuse’.

The measures include widespread bans on alcohol, pornography and medical examinations of all Indigenous children under 16. Half of welfare payments from CentreLink will be quarantined so they can be used only for purchasing food and other essentials.

‘Welfare will be dependent on children attending school. We’re going to enforce school attendance by linking income support and family assistance payments to school attendance for all people living on Aboriginal land,’ said John Howard when announcing his plan.

He said law and order would be a central focus of his reforms.

Other ‘reforms’ include scrapping the permit system for common areas and road corridors on Aboriginal lands, and taking control of Aboriginal townships through five-year leases to improve property and public housing.

Critics accused Howard’s dramatic plan as nothing more than an election stunt.

The federal government has an 11year history of neglect, said Sally Goold, one of Australia’s first Indigenous RNs and chairperson of Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN).

Sally is deeply concerned about the Howard government’s ‘military-style’ approach to tackling problems of child sexual abuse.

‘There are good working examples in Australia and internationally of Indigenous communities and governments that have dealt effectively with these serious issues without removing land ownership and with the proper involvement of the communities,’ she said.

‘We have been appealing to the federal government for many years to address serious disadvantage in Indigenous communities,’ said Sally Goold.n

FEDERAL GOVT STATS REVEAL:

PICTURE OF ABORIGINAL NEGLIGENCE A Report by the Productivity Commission, called Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage, details statistics showing the state of Indigenous disadvantage.

c There are gaps in virtually all children’s health-related indicators.

c The Report reveals the shocking state of Aboriginal health. Life expectancy for Indigenous Australians is 17 years lower than for Australians overall.

This is at least double the gap between indigenous and nonindigenous populations in life expectancy in New Zealand, Canada and the United States, said Productivity Chairman, Gary Banks.

c As Indigenous people get older, their health worsens. Eg. They suffer from kidney disease at ten times the rate of the overall population.

c Death rates in Indigenous children from external factors are five times more than in children overall.

c Indigenous people are half as likely to complete school than the overall population. c They have 22% lower workforce participation. c They are 13 times more likely to be imprisoned.

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 23

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A G E N D A

Vivien Hammond with patients at the Nganampa Health Service.

Indigenous plan no solution g The federal government’s plan to fly in health teams to remote Aboriginal communities for physical health checks is no solution to child sexual abuse, says remote area nurse Vivien Hammond.

have family in the Northern Territory and Western Australia and move to and from remote communities in the targeted areas.

‘Anangu are extremely wary and confused about what’s going on,’ she said.

‘Flying in medical teams – who may have no experience working with Indigenous people – will make the work of remote area health teams even more difficult. These adhoc “solutions” jeopardise the work done by health workers to build trusting relationships with the people living in these remote Aboriginal communities,’ she said.

‘O

‘Aboriginal health workers are integral to the success of delivery of health care to Aboriginal communities.’

utrageous’ and ‘illconceived’ is how remote area nurse, Vivien Hammond, describes the federal governments’ ‘emergency plan’ to combat child sexual abuse in remote Aboriginal communities.

Vivien is Clinical Services Manager of the Nganampa Health Council – an Aboriginal owned and controlled health service operating on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in the far north-west of South Australia. The health service is south of the region targeted for take-over by the federal government but many Anangu1 served by Nganampa 24 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

‘Basically, physical examination is a useless screening tool to detect child sexual abuse and the proposed “emergency interventions” will not address the problem of child sexual abuse,’ she said.

‘Yes it’s a problem, and not one person living in remote communities thinks sexual abuse is OK. It’s wrong and needs to be dealt with appropriately.

‘We need to keep this in perspective.

Child sexual abuse exists in many societies but we don’t impose physical examinations on children,’ said Vivien.

With 10 years’ experience working as an RN with remote Aboriginal communities, Vivien said issues revealed in the Little Children are Sacred report by the NT Board of Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse, which triggered Howard’s emergency plan, have existed for decades.

‘The problems inflicting these communities stem from extreme poverty and disadvantage. Report after report has detailed the lack of infrastructure and services, the extent of substance misuse,

child abuse and poverty in these communities. The various government responses have done little or nothing to address the fundamental problems,’ she said.

‘Aborigines in remote communities are basically living in third-world conditions. They are far away from resources and services.

‘The lack of services and infrastructure has left remote Aboriginal communities disadvantaged on every level. Many Aboriginal families living in remote communities are in crisis,’ said Vivien.

Two of Vivien’s happy, younger charges.

‘Physical examination ‘Communities have is atouseless screening trust the healthtool to detect Child sexual workers care, abuse anddelivering the proposed otherwise will “emergencymany interventions” not to thetheclinics will come not address unless are sexual really problemthey of child abuse.orYes it’s’ aVivien problem, Hammond sick hurt. and not one person living in remote communities thinks sexual abuse is OK. It’s wrong and needs to be dealt with appropriately.’

to abuse ‘There is little suitable work available so many residents are unemployed. Many Aboriginal people in remote areas are dependent on social security and live in poverty.

Many are struggling to deal with conflicting cultures, have poor literacy and numeracy skills, struggle to deal with bureaucracies, and their living conditions are unimaginable to most non-Anangu Australians.’

As a nurse, Vivien sees first-hand the shocking state of health in remote Aboriginal communities. ‘The health problems start before conception for many Anangu,’ she said.

‘There are major health problems related to poor diet such as type 2 diabetes. Many communities have limited access to healthy, fresh food. Anangu no longer gather food as in the past but are living out of the local shops. They are reliant on what’s available at the local shop. Getting healthy food choices like affordable fresh fruit and vegetables into remote communities is extremely difficult. Transport to and from remote communities is expensive and limited.

Skilled shop managers who can balance shop budgets and healthy food choices are hard to come by. In some communities, it is not uncommon for kids to be eating chips and drinking Coke for breakfast.

‘An important aspect of the role of Nganampa health workers is educating people so they can make healthy food and lifestyle choices. This has involved a process of education and consultation with the people in each community on the Lands and most communities have voted to embrace these policies. We have found that imposing change on people does not work,’ she said.

Vivien has worked at the Nganampa Health Council for the past eight years.

Covering a region 1003 kms2, Nganampa Health operates nine clinics, a 16-bed aged care respite facility and assorted healthrelated programs and services including aged care, sexual health, environmental health, health worker training, dental, women’s health, men’s health, children’s health and substance abuse prevention.

Nganampa Health employs over 120 staff – the majority are Anangu residents from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands.

Getting healthy food choices like affordable fresh fruit and vegetables into remote communities is extremely difficult.

The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands serviced by Nganampa Health Council cover over 105,000 kms2 and is home to almost 3,000 Anangu. The traditional Anangu culture is still strong, and Pitjantjatjara/ Yankunytjatjara is the first language.

According to Vivien, the key to successfully delivering health care to Aboriginal communities is enabling Aboriginal people in those remote regions to drive health policy and the delivery of health care. These health services need non-Anangu health professionals who are prepared to develop an understanding of the local culture and take direction from

the Health Council so that important health interventions and primary health care can be delivered effectively and appropriately.

‘Communities have to trust the health workers delivering care, otherwise many will not come to the clinics unless they are really sick or hurt,’ she said. ‘Health workers need to establish relationships with people that encourage Anangu to bring their children in and present themselves for regular health checks.

‘Aboriginal health workers are integral to the success of delivery of health care to Aboriginal communities.’

Vivien said the federal government’s plan to fly in teams of health workers who have no experience working with Aboriginal people demonstrates its disregard for civil rights and poor understanding of cultural issues. ‘Physical examinations of children are totally inappropriate,’ she said.

‘Health services in remote areas have spent years developing relationships with communities so they are able to do necessary health checks, screening and examinations in a culturally-appropriate way. Howard’s announcement has made many Anangu frightened of what will happen when they take their children to the clinic. Many think that any examination will be about looking for evidence of sexual abuse,’ she said.

More than just inappropriate, Vivien said the federal government’s ‘emergency plan’ for remote Aboriginal communities is ill-conceived. ‘It flies in face of the key principles that need to be in place to combat the problems inflicting these communities.

‘We need investment in infrastructure and services; we need to be working with Aboriginal people to develop and implement solutions; and we need to seek expert advice in developing and implementing solutions,’ she said.n 1

The local Aboriginal term for the Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara Aboriginal people from the Western Desert region in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 25

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CHOICES IN THE 2007 FEDERAL ELECTION

The Lamp examines the different health funding priorities of the Coalition and Labor.

Who pays for health?

HEALTH COSTS ARE TOUGH aren Collins, an EN at Auburn Hospital, is a sole earner with two young kids, Sara-Jayne (7) and Daniel (5). She said the cost of health care can be tough on the family budget.

‘It can be pricey and I’m the only one earning. I pay $60 for my child to see a speech pathologist. Seeing a health specialist can be even dearer. If I go to a paediatrician it can cost $200 to $300 a time,’ she said.

Karen said that without private insurance, waiting lists can be the bane of her life.

‘I’m not in a health care fund so I’m on a waiting list all the time.

I might have to wait 12 months for teeth to be done or 16 months to see a specialist.’

Karen has noticed that medical expenses have been rising.

‘There’s not much I can do. I can’t afford a health care fund for my family. The price is out of my range.’

K

26 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

KEY FACTS ABOUT

HEALTH FUNDING

States slam federal government over health funding g The federal government is diddling the public hospital system of about $1.1 billion annually, according to a damning report released by the state and territory health ministers.

T

he study – Caring for our Health – says the costs of health are rising much faster than inflation and the burden is being shifted by the Howard government on to the states and individuals.

The report also says that many older people are waiting in acute hospital beds for places in aged care facilities because of a shortage of federal government-funded aged care places.

And despite the federal government providing some incentives to GPs, the proportion of bulk-billed GP visits is well below the level of a decade ago.

Canberra shifts health cost burden on to individuals Ten years ago Australians spent the equivalent of $9 billion out of their own pockets on health care. That figure has jumped to $15 billion.

A patient’s out-of-pocket cost to see a GP rose by 60% from $9.40 in 19971998 to $15.82 in 2005-2006.

A visit to see a specialist jumped from $17.99 in 1996-1997 to $32.88 in 2005-2006.

Australians are now paying about $1,000 a year on average to fill scripts subsidised under the Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme.

Even for concession card holders there has been an increase, from $2.60 in 1994-1995 to the current $4.90.

The Commonwealth contributes less to public hospitals each year The report says the federal government has gradually reduced its share of the funding of public hospitals and the states and territories are being left to pick up the shortfall.

In 2000, the Howard government contributed 50% of the cost of maintaining and running public hospitals.

By 2005, that share had dropped to 45%.

If this trend continues, then in 20 years’ time the federal government’s share of public hospital costs will have declined to about 25% and the states and territories share will have climbed to 75%. According to the report, this would affect the states’ ability to look after other essential services such as schools, police, public transport and roads.

In dollar terms, this creates a shortfall of $1.1 billion a year, an amount that would fund an extra 350,000 admissions in our public hospitals.

Private health insurance subsidised by $3 billion a year The report accuses the federal government of double standards in its treatment of private and public health funding.

In 1999, the government introduced a 30% rebate on premiums to health insurance funds. It also penalised those earning more than $50,000 through the taxation system if they did not join a fund. The government’s rebate scheme costed about $3 billion in 2006-2007.

These changes were meant to shift some of the burden away from the overstretched public hospitals to the private sector. In fact, while the government has increased its spending on the rebate by 58% between 2000-2001 and 2005-2006, the number of people in private health insurance funds increased by only 1.5%.

Health insurance premiums have increased at roughly twice the rate of inflation. These increases have been sanctioned by federal health minister Tony Abbott.

c The federal government spends about $42 billion a year on health care. c The federal government’s contribution to maintaining and running public hospitals dropped from 50% in 2000 to 45% in 2005, creating a shortfall of $1.1 billion a year. c If it paid the extra $1.1 billion a year, public hospitals could manage an extra 350,000 admissions a year. c The government’s private insurance rebate scheme cost taxpayers $3 billion in 2006-2007. c People are spending over 5% a year more on health care.

The state health ministers argue the federal government justifies these higher premium increases by saying prices in health care rise faster than prices in other areas yet the federal government does not apply the same reasoning to its share of the costs of public hospitals.

Bulk billing down, cost of seeing a GP up, EDs at breaking point In 1996-1997 more than 80% of visits to a GP were bulkbilled. Fewer than 20% of people visiting a doctor had to pay anything out of their own pocket. The figure of 80% dropped alarmingly to 68% in the seven years to 2003-2004 as federal government payments to GPs failed to keep pace with inflation. The Howard government then introduced measures that increased bulk billing but it is still below the level of a decade ago.

The out-of-pocket costs of visiting a GP have risen due to the relative shortage of GPs and the decline in the federal government’s schedule fee, which has led to doctors’ incomes dropping. This has made many GPs reluctant to bulk bill.

NSW Health Minister Reba Meagher says this adds to the pressure on public hospitals.

‘There are not enough GPs. That means people are more inclined to use hospital emergency rooms to get the care they need,’ she said.

In NSW, the number of people attending emergency departments rose by 73,000 in the nine months to April 2007. This follows an increase of 80,746 patients turning up at EDs from 2005 to 2006 (NSW Health figures).n THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 27

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CHOICES IN THE 2007 FEDERAL ELECTION

Preventative health makes economic sense g Labor’s first major health policy announcement in this federal election year focuses on preventing illness and recognising the economic impact of poor health.

K

evin Rudd has released his plan to develop a national strategy to tackle chronic diseases caused by obesity, tobacco and alcohol – a plan that will be closely linked to Labor’s economic policy.

Labor says that while the failure to tackle chronic disease represents a cost, the benefits of better addressing chronic disease represent an economic opportunity.

The reasoning underpinning Labor’s plan is backed up by figures in a national survey released by Tony Abbott’s portfolio. This report shows heart conditions cause 317,000 admissions, respiratory problems 206,000 admissions and obstetrics 307,000 admissions to our public hospitals each year. Patients with these conditions occupy beds for a staggering total of 2,880,000 days.

According to the Australian Institute

of Health and Welfare, almost one in ten hospital admissions could have been avoided with better preventative care. An incredible 552,000 Australians were taken to hospital in just one year for conditions that could have been avoided.

Labor’s health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon argues the Commonwealth’s failure to invest in preventative care leaves the states bearing the cost.

Time to end the blame game Only 1.7% of recurrent national health expenditure in 2004-2005 was spent on health promotion and prevention.

Labor’s health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon argues the Commonwealth’s failure to invest in preventative care leaves the states bearing the cost.

Health professionals back Labor’s plan

N

SWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes said, ‘This approach is forward thinking and commendable. It will take pressure off our hospitals and centre health care in our communities where it is most effective.’

AMA President Dr Rosanna Capolingua said: ‘Overall this looks like a well-thought-

out strategy to juggle the competing demands of a health budget and the community’s increasing health needs.’

Cancer Council chief executive Professor Ian Oliver said: ‘Prevention is always better than cure and the Opposition’s announcement heralds the kind of change in approach Australia needs to reduce the burden of cancer.’

‘Overall this looks like a well-thought-out strategy to juggle the competing demands of a health budget and the community’s increasing health needs.’ Dr Rosanna Capolingua 28 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

‘The major health agreements negotiated between the Commonwealth and the states deal only with hospitals and there are some disincentives to the states and Commonwealth actually investing money in prevention,’ she said.

‘We want both prevention and hospital care along with a number of other issues to be on the table for those negotiations, so every health dollar and every level of government is actually looking at how we can keep people well and not just treat them when they are sick.’n

‘This approach is forward thinking and commendable.

It will take pressure off our hospitals and centre health care in our communities where it is most effective.’

NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes

The Australian General Practice Network, Public Health Association of Australia, Catholic Health Australia, Medicines Australia and the Mental Health Council of Australia also support Labor’s plan.n

WHAT LABOR IS PROPOSING c A National Preventative Healthcare Strategy would be established to bring a preventative focus to the health system. The strategy will be supported by a permanent taskforce of nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, academics, consumers, health insurers and specialists who would provide evidence-based advice. c Incentives would be provided for GPs to practise quality preventative health care with an increased focus on multi-disciplinary care from primary care teams. c Health care agreements would be broadened between the Commonwealth and the states to include preventative health care as well as hospital funding. c Treasury would be commissioned to produce special reports on the impact of chronic disease on the Australian economy and the economic benefits of prevention in health care.

THE ECONOMIC COSTS

OF CHRONIC DISEASE c The Productivity Commission has estimated that health conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular, mental and nervous conditions, injury and diabetes reduce labour force participation rates by between 12% and 40%. c The annual financial cost of cardiovascular disease in Australia is $14.2 billion or 1.7% of GDP, including lost productivity costs of $3.6 billion. c The estimated costs of diabetes each year is around $21 billion including lost productivity, health and carer costs, taxation revenue lost and welfare payments. c The annual productivity loss from obesity-related illness is about $1.7 billion. c The Commission says with modest investments in health promotion and prevention, as many as 175,000 additional people could be in the workforce by 2030.

Nurses give Rudd’s aged care plan qualified support

K

evin Rudd has announced that a Labor government would spend $158 million over five years on alternative care for aged patients currently occupying public hospital beds.

The plan envisages 2,000 new ‘transition care beds’ for the aged who are in public hospitals waiting for a place in an aged care facility.

Labor has also pledged an extra $300 million in loans to build or expand residential and respite facilities in areas of need.

NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes welcomed the proposals but said the initiatives need to be complemented with appropriate numbers of extra nurses.

‘The number of qualified registered nurses and enrolled nurses employed in aged care has dropped by 21% since 1995, despite an increase in resident numbers,’ he said.

‘Increased bed numbers are a step forward but an improvement in quality care will require a corresponding increase in adequately qualified nursing staff.’

The NSWNA would also like to see Labor commit to improvements in the aged care workforce through:

‘Increased bed numbers are a step forward but an improvement in quality care will require a corresponding increase in adequately qualified nursing staff.’ c

c c

the establishment of dedicated funding to close the wages gap.

Nurses in aged care currently earn up to $20,000 per annum or $250 per week less than their colleagues in other areas; the licensing of all direct care staff; and the establishment of minimum nursing staff levels and an appropriate skill mix of direct care staff, registered and enrolled nurses throughout the aged care workforce.n

WE NEED TO ATTRACT MORE NURSES TO AGED CARE osemary Chester, Executive Manager at Orana Nursing Home, says more resources and preventative strategies for aged care are welcome but attracting more nurses to the sector is vital.

‘Maintenance of health and well being for our aged population is important. Attracting and retaining registered and enrolled nurses to provide for aged people in the community and in residential facilities is an imperative deserving of improvement.’

R

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 29

s

INNE DWUSS TI R N I AB LR I E S FS U E S

Back-money win for aged care nurses g Wrong allowance paid for years

A

South Coast aged care facility has paid more than $9,000 to 10 nurses who received the wrong incharge allowance.

Edgewood Park Residential Aged Care Facility owned by Principal Healthcare and, before it, Moran Health Care, admitted it had underpaid nurses in charge since at least December 2005.

The in-charge allowance is paid for evening, night and weekend shifts.

Nurses in charge of more than 100 beds should have received $30.52 per shift but were paid only $18.94 – the rate for a facility with fewer than 100 beds.

The highest amount repaid to an individual nurse was $2,168.

Management admitted its error after six months of persistent questioning by the NSW Nurses’ Association branch at the Batemans Bay facility.

Branch Secretary Prue Mackellar said members were happy their claim had finally been upheld. The branch wrote several letters to management between December last year and June, when the money was paid.

30 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

Prue Mackellar (front row, third from the left) with DON Carolyn Dwyer (back row, left) and Edgewood Park branch members.

Prue said the branch initially sought back pay for the past six years – the maximum time under the award – but it was difficult to prove the exact period of underpayment.

‘Bed numbers have fluctuated and we

have had five different owners in the past few years,’ she said.

‘In the end we were quite happy with the back pay we got. The most important thing was to prove we were right and get the correct allowance paid.’ n

$10.26 for lowest-paid Australians g ‘Fair Pay’ Commission sings employers’ tune

B

usiness got what it wanted from the Howard government’s Fair Pay Commission when it served up the lowest increase in minimum wages for 10 years.

The minimum wage will go up by $10.26 a week to $522.12 from 1 October, as a result of last month’s decision.

The decision affects the purchasing power of 1.2 million workers and their dependants.

It means that nurses working under the federal industrial relations system and whose rates of pay are governed by a preserved state award will get an increase.

This includes the majority of nurses working in the aged care sector who are covered by the preserved Nursing Homes &c.

Nurses (State) Award.

Nurses working in other parts of the private sector may also be entitled to an increase. If your conditions have moved onto a federal system workplace agreement and no longer a preserved award you should talk to the NSWNA about whether the increase will apply to you.

The increase will be 27 cents per hour for nurses currently earning less than $700 per week and 14 cents per hour for nurses currently earning more than $700 per week. The increase will take effect from the first pay period on or after 1 October 2007.

Employer groups asked the commission to award around $10 a week and that’s what they got, despite the ACTU mounting a strong argument for $28.

Employers’ spokesperson Heather Ridout said the ‘fair and responsible’ decision was exactly what her Australian Industry Group had lobbied for.

‘In our submission, the Group proposed a wage increase of 27 cents per hour ($10.26 per week) and three months lead time between the date of the decision and the date of operation,’ Ridout said.

‘This is what the Fair Pay Commission has delivered to lowerincome employees today,’ she boasted.

One employer, the St Vincent de

Paul Society, refused to stick to the script, announcing it would give its 1,000 employees in NSW and the ACT a $30 a week increase.

The society’s state president, John O’Neill, said $10.26 was ‘grossly unfair when compared with the huge increases paid to executive employees in corporate Australia’.

Several church representatives also condemned the $10.26 increase. The chairman of the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations, Brian Lawrence, said it was unfair on working families and based on incorrect calculation of family incomes.

The five Howard governmentappointed members of the Fair Pay Commission – a Macquarie Bank director, the owner of a furniture removal company, two academic economists and a former workers’ compensation conciliator – claimed that a higher increase would push up inflation and interest rates.

As the ACTU pointed out, the $10.26 increase is actually below the rate of inflation, meaning the living standards of the lowest-paid Australians will go backwards.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow described the decision as a slap in the face for hard-working Australians and their families who were facing rising petrol prices, rents, childcare and education costs.

‘At the same time as they are facing

increases in the cost of living, many workers have lost their job security and award conditions such as penalty rates, overtime pay, allowances and public holiday pay under the federal government’s new IR laws,’ she said.

ACTU Secretary-elect Jeff Lawrence pointed out: ‘People employed as cleaners, security guards, retail assistants, childcare workers and production workers are working hard and struggling to keep their heads above water. They will be left further behind by this decision.’

For big business, Australia’s economy has rarely been better. Company profits are extremely healthy, the stock market is at record highs and executive salaries are skyrocketing.

The share of national income going to company profits rose from less than 24% of GDP in 1996 to 28% last year.

On the other hand, the share of national income going to wages is at a 35-year low, having fallen from 56% to under 54% of GDP in the same decade.

The highly regarded economics commentator for The Age newspaper, Kenneth Davidson, calculates that if the wages share had remained constant over the period, the average wage earner would be some $2,300 a year — or $44 a week — better off than they are now.

It’s a trend Davidson deplores, and one which the Fair Pay Commission appears determined to encourage. n

WHO GETS WHAT? Examples:

Aged Care AIN Year 1

New minimum hourly rate of Increase per hour pay under preserved Nursing Homes Nurses’ Award $15.65

up 27 cents per hour

Aged Care AIN Thereafter

$17.08

up 27 cents per hour

Aged Care EN Year 1

$18.86

up 14 cents per hour

Aged Care EN Thereafter

$20.30

up 14 cents per hour

Aged Care RN Year 5

$25.71

up 14 cents per hour

Aged Care RN Year 8

$29.36

up 14 cents per hour THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 31

7th NSW Nurses’ Association

PROFESSIONAL ISSUES CONFERENCE • Friday 5 October 2007 • 9.00am – 5.00pm • Swiss-Grand Resort & Spa Cnr Campbell Parade & Beach Road Bondi Beach • Parking available @ $8 for the day • Cost: Members $85 Non Members $100 Nursing Students Free (limited places)

The future of nursing and midwifery:

IT’S TIME TO ACT Come to this important conference and have a say on the future direction of nursing and midwifery.

We want to hear your views on the 4 major themes that emerged at the April Nurse & Midwife Leaders Forum.

• Facilitator – Coral Levett • Nurse & Midwife Leaders Forum report – Brett Holmes • Leadership – Debra Thoms • Political strategy – Brett Holmes • Cultural Change – Dr Val Wilson • Health workforce redesign – TBA

For further details check our website www.nswnurses.asn.au and also The Lamp for further details

Registration Download registration form from www.nswnurses.asn.au or contact Carolyn Kulling on Metro: 8595 1234 Rural: 1300 367 962 NSW Health Department has approved one day Special Leave to enable nurses in the public sector to attend this conference.

32 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

Authorised by Brett Holmes, NSWNA General Secretary

IR SHORTS EMPLOYERS FIGHT TO PRESERVE THEIR POWER

B

usiness groups are preparing a $12 million-plus ad campaign in defence of the Howard government’s IR laws. John Howard has repeatedly called on business to campaign in support of the laws.

The campaign is driven by the Business Council of Australia (BCA) and the Australian Chamber of Commerce (ACC), who have contributed $5.5 million between them. The BCA is led by Michael Chaney, who is closely aligned with the Liberal Party. The ACC is headed by Peter Hendy, former chief of staff for Peter Reith, famous for his balaclavas and dogs approach to industrial relations.

The Minerals Council of Australia has pledged up to $2 million and the Master Builders Association has committed $3 million.

Documents obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald show that 28 other industry and business groups are being targeted to support the campaign.

The advertising campaign is being coordinated by Mark Textor, John Howard’s personal pollster and his business partner Lynton Crosby, a former Liberal Party campaign director who masterminded several of John Howard’s election campaigns.

DIRTY TRICKS CAMPAIGN LOOMS OVER ELECTION

T

he Herald also exposed another piece of synchronised activity between the Howard government and its business supporters when it revealed that both the Department of Workplace Relations and the Australian Chamber of Commerce had commissioned separate ‘economic modelling’ designed to paint a grim economic outlook if Labor was elected in this year’s federal election.

AWAS WILL GO UNDER LABOR

D

espite intense pressure from the Howard government, business and large sections of the media, Kevin Rudd has confirmed that he will implement the policy adopted by the ALP Conference in April that guarantees the abolition of AWAs. ‘Mr Howard’s gone too far with his unfair IR laws,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.

‘The core part of his laws are his unfair AWAs.

Labor’s position is clear-cut; not only do we oppose AWAs, we give an absolute guarantee we will get rid of his unfair AWAs.’ Rudd flagged the need for sensible transitional arrangements that give businesses and employees certainty.

These transitional arrangements would be announced before the election.

Kevin Rudd

Independent economists were scathing of the terms of reference for both pieces of research, saying they were seeking ‘skewed and biased analyses’ to be used to make specious debating points in the run-up to the election.

SMH economist Ross Gittens said the tenders for the research were ‘a classic example of the abuse of economic modelling for propaganda purposes’.

‘It’s of doubtful legitimacy to use taxpayers’ money to pay for such a blatantly party political exercise,’ he said.

A former senior public servant, Paddy Gourley, writing in The Canberra Times, accused the Minister for Workplace Relations Joe Hockey of commissioning an ‘expert-for-hire to provide political bullets’.

‘It seems Hockey is in the market for ammunition to distort the arguments – the very thing of which he accuses those agin [against] the Government’s chameleon-like WorkChoices laws.’

PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO KNOW CONTRARY TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST!

T

he Howard government has refused to release public opinion surveys it commissioned about WorkChoices, requested

by The Sydney Morning Herald under Freedom of Information laws, because it says that releasing the material is contrary to the public interest.

This is consistent with similar attempts to gain access to analyses of the impact of AWAs on workers that were previously blocked by the government.

The Department of Workplace Relations said the survey results will be made public later in the year when the election is out of the way.

The government paid more than $2 million to research company Colmar Brunton to survey its advertising campaigns spruiking WorkChoices. n

Nurses helping care for children!

As a professional in the nursing field you have the knowledge and skills needed to provide care. You can utilise these skills as a foster carer whilst continuing in your career. Your commitment can range from caring for a child one weekend a month through to permanent care. For more information please call Centacare on 8709 9333 or visit www.fosterkids.com.au Centracare.indd 1

13/7/07 12:44:48 PM THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 33

Make a fashionable statement Place your order now for NSWNA merchandise

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To order, fax the order form to Glen Ginty (02) 9550 3667 or post to: NSW Nurses’ Association PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 145 Merchandise order forms available on our website www.nswnurses.asn.au

34 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 Authorised by Brett Holmes, General Secretary, NSWNA

s

Q & A

ASK

JUDITH

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR RIGHTS AND ENTITLEMENTS AT WORK, NSWNA ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY JUDITH KIEJDA HAS THE ANSWERS.

Covered for sick leave I work in a public hospital as an RN. I have had 10 days off in the past 12 months due to illness and have not been required to supply a medical certificate. My NUM has now approached me stating that my sick leave is unsatisfactory. What are my rights?

According to the Award you are employed under, the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award, Clause 37 Sick Leave (i) (c) states: ‘Director of Nursing of the employer or by the employee’s own legally qualified medical practitioner or dentist. The employer may dispense with the requirement of a medical certificate where the absence does not exceed two consecutive days’ or where in the employer’s opinion, the circumstances are such as not to warrant such requirement.’

Further to your Award, Policy Directive 2006_063 Sick Leave Management states: ‘A staff member who has had eight separate absences, unsupported by medical certificates, in any period of 12 months, is considered to have an unsatisfactory sick leave record. It may be useful to set review points that highlight the need for action prior to an unsatisfactory level being reached. Action in this case may involve a discussion with the staff member to ensure that valid reasons for absence exist and that the staff member is aware of the sick leave policy and procedures.’

Therefore, the Association would advise you to obtain a medical certificate when having more than two days’ sick leave. If you

have an illness or circumstances that may be impacting on your ability to attend work you should speak with your NUM.

Annual leave entitlements I am an AIN working in a nursing home. I have been employed there for nine years but due to pressing family commitments, may need to resign shortly. I have approached my DoN to ask whether I am entitled to any long service leave and she has advised me that I am not as I have less than ten years of service. Is this correct?

No, this is not correct. However, the provisions are different depending on whether you are a full-time/part-time or casual employee. The relevant provisions are as follows: Full-time or part-time: Under the Nursing Homes, &c., Nurses’ (State) Award Clause 25 Long Service Leave, you are entitled to be paid pro rata long service leave when you have more than five years (and less than ten years). This is stated in subclause (ii)(a)(2): ‘Where the service of an employee with at least five years’ service is terminated, the employee shall be entitled to long service leave as follows: For the first five years’ service – one month For the next ten years’ service – a proportionate amount calculated on the basis of one month for each additional five years. For the purpose of calculation, each completed whole month of continuous service gives an entitlement equal to 0.0722 weeks’ pay.’

So full-time and part-time employees who resign for any reason or are fired for any reason after five years should get pro-rata long service leave automatically paid out.

Casuals Casuals are entitled to long service leave as found in the Long Service Leave Act 1955.

For service greater than five years and less than 10 years, it will depend on the reason why the employee is leaving. Section 4 (2)(a)(iii) states: (iii) in the case of a worker who has completed with an employer at least five years’ service, and whose services are terminated by the employer for any reason other than the worker’s serious and wilful misconduct, or by the worker on account of illness, incapacity or domestic or other pressing necessity, or by reason of the death of the worker, be a proportionate amount on the basis of two months for 10 years’ service.

So, if you are terminated by the employer for a reason other than serious or wilful misconduct (such as stealing or fighting), or if you resign due to illness, or you need to resign for domestic or other pressing necessity (such as taking care of relatives and children) or in order to take full-time work elsewhere because of pressing financial reasons, you are eligible for pro-rata payment of long service leave and need to apply for it from the pay office.

If you are resigning, you will need to supply the reason for leaving.n

Win an iPod shuffle!

Considering Postgrad Study? We want to know what you are thinking Online research is being conducted amongst people who are looking into the possibility of undertaking postgraduate study by coursework.

Be asked to participate in a QUICK online survey and go into the draw to win one of 25 iPod shuffles. © 2007 GA Research. ONLY Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents required for the research study.

Register your interest at:

http://postgrad.garesearch.com.au THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 35

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N PEEW S C ISA LI N PEO BP R LI EE F

Helping Ali have a brighter future g Fleeing to Australia as a refugee from war-torn Afghanistan, a new life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and even uni â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is in sight for Ali, thanks to support from the NSWNA.

E

ighteen-year-old Ali Yunespour is not your typical HSC student. Born in Afghanistan, Ali arrived in Australia as a refugee less than two years ago.

Now residing in Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s West, Ali lives in a small unit, which is shared with 10 other relatives including his four younger siblings. The children have lived through great sadness as their mother died in childbirth in Afghanistan and his father and older twin brothers are missing, presumed dead.

Ali and his younger brother and sisters came to Australia with no English skills but with a lot of determination and energy. Ali is currently topping all levels of Year 12 mathematics, and is a respected member of the school community at Marsden High School, where he is vice captain.

He has received achievement and leadership awards from the City of Ryde, the Australian Defence Force, Macquarie University and the University of Western Sydney. The regional director

Ali Yunespour (right) with brother Sajjid, sister Robaba and Marsden High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Careers Advisor, Ms Sheryn Symons

of education also made him the student representative for 60 schools to ensure an equitable distribution of resources. He is an outstanding young man.

Ali refuses to dwell on the sadness and hardship he and his family have endured in the past and looks forward to a positive life in Australia. He and his family are very grateful for the opportunities they now have living in Australia.

He hopes to undertake a double degree in maths and law next year but, as the main carer to his four younger siblings, life is not easy.

When staff at the NSWNA found out about Ali they spoke to one of his teachers, who is mentoring the family and offered to raise funds for Ali, which

will help him achieve his aim of going to university next year.

Ali, his younger brother Sajjid, who is in Year 11, and sister Robaba, in Year 8, came to address staff at the Association, which motivated an in-house fundraising activity.

The NSWNA organised an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ab Fabâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; jumble sale and a giant raffle, which raised $2,000 for Aliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s university account, administered by the school.

Matt Byrne, NSWNA Organiser, won the first prize of a $100 Myer Gift Voucher, a new mobile phone and two tickets to see â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Menopause the Musicalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

If members would like to make a donation or help the family out in any way, please contact Glen Ginty on 8595 2191 or email gginty@nswnurses.asn.au.n

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THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 37

38 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

s

N PEEW S C ISA LI N PEO BP R LI EE F

Busy nurse and volunteer makes the Queen’s Birthday Honours List g Dedication, helping others and some wellearned rest prove a winning combination for this busy nurse.

N

SWNA member, Keith Cox, NP, was recently recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to nursing as well as his community and volunteer work.

‘I am honoured to be nominated – it is great to be recognised by my peers and colleagues,’ said Keith, a nurse practitioner in the oncology

chemotherapy unit at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA).

Keith has a long affiliation with RPA, having trained at the hospital before undertaking his oncology training in London. He was authorised as a nurse practitioner in 2005 and prior to this he acted in a clinical nurse consultant role.

‘I feel privileged to be a part of my patients’ journeys, whether short or long, as they have taught me a lot about life and living,’ said Keith.

His passion for nursing has taken Keith to Nepal and New Guinea to help set up oncology units and to train local nurses. He is also a member of the Cancer Nursing Society of Australia and Chair of their Winter Congress Committee, which is the annual conference of the group.

Keith is also an honorary consultant at the University of Sydney and has tutored in chemotherapy at The Australian College of Nursing.

Clearly, Keith is a dedicated nurse and his care and service also flow on into other community areas including his work with CanTeen, St Vincent de Paul and volunteering through his local parish.

Keith loves his work and believes that nurses and volunteers like himself need to consider their own well-being too – ‘I don’t forget to recharge my batteries as my patients cannot have sadness around them. I take care of myself and make sure I have a balanced life amongst my nursing and volunteer work,’ he said.

Keith’s award and medal will be presented at Government House in September.n THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 39

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L I F E S T Y L E

Boynton Beach Club

Reviewer Liz Lyons, NE, Prince of Wales Hospital

g Love and loss are a part of everyone’s lives, no matter how old they are.

A

As the average age of a nurse is 47, this film will be the one for all of us to see.

Directed by Susan Seidelman (Desperately Seeking Susan) – who was inspired by her mother’s experiences in a retirement village in Florida, this romantic comedy looks at love for the over 60 and 70 year olds and shows that life goes on as you get older.

The film is set in Florida. If you can imagine being in an up-market retirement village with your own car, your palatial house and your very own swimming pool, this is the place we will all want to retire to in a few years.

The story begins with a husband and wife living in the retirement village. They are a typical couple who have looked after each other all their married life but fate has her way and the husband is killed. The devastated wife, Marilyn (Brenda Vacarro), joins the Boynton Beach Bereavement Club at the request of her neighbour Lois (Dyan Cannon), who is also a widow and very zany – not only with her looks (collagen has particularly helped the lips), also her appearance in tight jeans, masses of frizzy hair and stilettos.

The Lamp’s rating

The relationship between these two different women evolves and Lois helps Marilyn adjust to life without her husband, encouraging her to drive again and take control of her financial matters.

Another character in this story is a man who has lost his wife we find out how he begins life again without her. As there are few men in this village he has many casseroles delivered to his doorstep as well as lots of the widows interested in a relationship.

He meets Sandy (Sally Kellerman ‘hotlips’ from the movie, Mash) and a relationship begins, even though it is a little early after his wife’s death.

There are four main characters in this film and as the story unfolds issues surrounding relationships are discussed.

Sex, internet dating, humour, sadness and reality are shown in this film, where most of the actors would be remembered when they were much younger.

This story also shows the younger generation that older people do have the same feelings when it comes to relationships and not to be too judgemental on what paths the older generations follow, as time is the essence on the other side of 60.n Boynton Beach Club opens nationally on 23 August.

WANTED We're seeking members with a non-nursing skill or talent they'd like to share with other nurses. You could be a whiz in the kitchen.

Or have some DIY plumbing and homehandy tips. Or a wild and wonderful interest or skill. Be it strange, extraordinary or useful, we'd love you to come on board as a NSWNA tipster. We are also seeking closet film buffs to share with other nurses their views on the movies they love and hate. It’s a chance to see previews of next month’s new releases. Please contact us with expressions of interest to be part of our tipster and movie review team.

Be part of the action by calling Editorial Enquiries now on 02 8595 1219 or email lamp@nswnurses.asn.au

Our reviewers & tipsters receive a delightful ABC Classics CD – for uplifting enjoyment!

Gifts so good, you won’t want to give them away. There is an ABC Shop near you. For locations visit abcshop.com.au or call 1300 360 111.

Ask about our rewards program.

Boynton Beach Club 2-FOR-1 TICKET OFFER

Present this coupon p at a screeningg of Boynton y Beach Clubb at anyy participating p p cinema and nd receive two tickets for the price of one one-full-priced full priced adult ticket ticket.

Valid: Mondays to Fridays from August 23rd – September 19th (Excludes public holidays and discount days) This ticket must be taken as offered and is not exchangeable, for sale, transferable or redeemable for cash.

Subject to seat availability. This ticket does not guarantee admission. Check local newspapers for session times.

Discount days vary between cinemas, please check beforehand to avoid disappointment.

Not valid at Gold Class or Silverscreen cinemas at Greater Union, BCC or Village cinema locations. Not valid at Dendy Premium Cinemas.

IN CINEMAS AUGUST 23 40 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

TICKET GIVEAWAYS FOR NSWNA MEMBERS

ONCE

E BEST MUSIC FILM eONCE MAY WELL BE TH OF OUR GENERATION f

(in cinemas 30 August )

Winner of the Audience Award for World Cinema Drama at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sundance Film Festival, Once is a unique and beautiful Irish indie film. The film incorporates its music into a simple but powerful love story.

The male lead (Glen Hansard) works part-time helping his father, but dreams of having his songs recorded and landing a record deal. His girlfriend has recently left him and gone to London, and he is still coming to grips with that loss and is emotionally vulnerable. One day while busking on Dublinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grafton Street, he meets the female lead, an East European immigrant who has moved to Dublin to start a new life.

As they get to know each other, their relationship blossoms as they share their music, put together a band to rehearse songs and record some demos, all of which results in them both bringing some much-needed impetus to their artistic and personal lives.

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DR PLONK

(in cinemas 30 August )

It is the year 1907 and Dr Plonk (Nigel Lunghi), famous scientist and inventor, calculates that the world will end in 101 years unless immediate action is taken.

Proof is required and the only acceptable ;I proof lies in the very future thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ending.

B FE Being the lateral thinker that he is, Plonk C G invents a time machine. In quick succession Tiberius the dog, Plonk and Paulus all visit the future, 100 years hence; even Prime Minister Stalk and Mrs Plonk (Magda Szubanski) make the trip.

Not everyone returns, but all find the year 2007 a somewhat different place to what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d expected...

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WIN TICKETS TO MISS SAIGON AND LUXURY ACCOMMODATION Miss Saigon lands at the Lyric Theatre in September to entertain and excite Sydney audiences. This classic love story will have you in awe with its amazing songs, emotional story and spectacular visual effects.

This month The Lamp is giving one lucky member two tickets to indulge in this wonderful theatrical experience.

To complement your exciting night at the Lyric Theatre, you and your guest, will receive a $150 voucher to use at Star Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s renowned Astral Restaurant and conclude your evening with a stay in a Star City deluxe Harbour Bridge view room.

Included in this fabulous prize is a full buffet breakfast for two and even transport is taken care of with complimentary valet parking on site at Star City.

Second prize in this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lamp competition is another two tickets to Miss Saigon for a second lucky member.

Write your name, address and membership number on the back of an envelope to: Miss Saigon Competition PO Box 40, Camperdown NSW 1450

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Competition closes 31 August 2007.

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Shot on a hand-cranked camera, Dr Plonk is a black and white, silent time-travel adventure comedy.

MR BROOKS

(in cinemas 2 August )

Consider Mr Brooks (Kevin Costner): a successful businessman, generous philanthropist, loving husband and father, a true pillar of the community. Everyone says heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect. Nonetheless, Mr. Brooks harbours a sinister secret â&#x20AC;&#x201C; heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an insatiable serial killer branded as the Thumbprint Killer, so lethally clever that no one has ever suspected him. Though recently inactive, his pathological compulsion is inflamed once again. Succumbing to one more malevolent urge to murder an unsuspecting couple, Mr. Brooks commits his first mistake â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he is observed by a Peeping Tom photographer, who chooses to blackmail him with a bizarre demand. The last crime also unleashes a tenacious detective (Demi Moore) whose own personal crisis drives her furiously to solve the identity of the Thumbprint Killer, putting her on Mr Brooksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trail.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR NSWNA MEMBERS

In addition to these great prizes NSWNA members are offered a special deal for discounted ticket prices.

Members will be eligible for the group rate ticket price of $89.90 which is a saving of $10!

This is a terrific opportunity as groups normally have to be purchased in minimum 20 tickets!

The deal will be available for Tuesday evenings throughout the entire season of the show (25 September â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 18 December 2007).

All members need to do is call 02 8512 9020 and quote their membership number. Payment will be made at time of booking.

Miss Saigon has been seen by over 30 million people in 25 countries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; make sure you enter to be a part of this sensational production.

The Lamp has 30 double passes to see Once, 50 double passes to Dr Plonk and 25 double passes to Mr Brooks. To enter, email lamp@nswnurses.asn.au with your name, membership number, address and contact number. First entries win!

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 41

ADVERTORIAL

STATE SUPER SAS Trustee Corporation

SSS – Salary Sacrifice from 1 July 2007 From 1 July 2007, SSS members will be able to pay their compulsory personal contributions to SSS as Salary Sacrifice contributions. Before making this decision, it is recommended you seek professional financial advice.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT CONTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS? ■ Currently, your compulsory personal contributions to SSS are made on an after-tax basis (non-concessional contributions which were previously known as undeducted contributions).

This means income tax is deducted from your salary before your contributions are paid.

■ Each year on your Annual Review Day you are advised of any new units to which you have become entitled because of salary increases. While you do not have to make compulsory personal contributions to SSS that would exceed an amount equal to 6% of your salary, the amount you select to contribute to SSS takes effect from your Annual Adjustment Day. ■ SSS can only accept compulsory personal contributions for those units you’re eligible to contribute towards.

WHAT WILL CHANGE? ■ Provided your Employer agrees, from 1 July 2007 you can choose to pay your compulsory personal contributions to SSS: • entirely from your before-tax salary (Salary Sacrifice) or; • entirely from your after-tax salary; or • from a combination of before-tax and after-tax salary.

WHAT WON’T CHANGE? ■ Salary Sacrifice is not compulsory. If you wish, you can continue to pay all your compulsory personal contributions from your after-tax salary.

■ Any additional Salary Sacrifice or after tax contributions you make must continue to be paid into another superannuation scheme of your choice. SSS is still not able to accept these contributions.

WHAT DO I NEED TO CONSIDER? ■ Salary Sacrifice contributions are treated as employer contributions and attract the Commonwealth Government’s 15% contributions tax on entry to the Scheme. This means the amount you contribute needs to be increased (or grossed up) by an amount representing the contributions tax, so that you make the same net contribution to SSS that you would have made via after-tax contributions.

For example, if you currently contribute $4,200 to SSS in after-tax contributions, you would need to increase this amount to $4,941 via Salary Sacrifice contributions (ie $4,200 ÷ 0.85 = $4,941). The grossing-up of contributions is arranged with your Employer as part of overall Salary Packaging arrangements.

■ Whether Salary Sacrifice is right for you, this depends on your individual circumstances. You may receive more take-home pay if you make your contributions via Salary Sacrifice.

However this depends on your level of income so you should seek professional financial advice to help you decide whether to make Salary Sacrifice contributions.

OTHER MATTERS TO CONSIDER Do Salary Sacrifice contributions affect the Salary used to calculate my SSS unit entitlements?

No. Your Salary and your SSS unit entitlement are not affected by whether you make Salary Sacrifice contributions.

Do Salary Sacrifice contributions count for the Commonwealth Government Co-contribution?

No. Only after-tax contributions qualify for the Commonwealth Government Co-contribution.

deductions can be made from your salary.

Salary Sacrifice contributions: ■ are subject to tax on benefit payment unless taken after age 60 ■ are counted in full towards the Concessional Contributions Cap. Generally, contributions above the cap will be taxed at a total of 46.5% (further details are provided in SSS Fact Sheet 23).

I’M INTERESTED IN SALARY SACRIFICE ...

WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW? ■ Check whether your Employer will allow you to make Salary Sacrifice contributions and when you are able to advise changes to your Salary Packaging arrangements to include any Salary Sacrifice contributions.

■ Seek professional financial advice.

■ Advise your Employer of the portion (if any) of your SSS contributions you want to make via Salary Sacrifice.

Like more information?

?

Customer Service is available to help you with general information and can be contacted on 1300 130 096 between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday. You should visit the State Super website and use the calculator there to see the effect Salary Sacrifice has on your personal circumstances. For help deciding whether to make Salary Sacrifice contributions, we recommend you seek professional financial advice.

APART FROM THE 15% CONTRIBUTIONS TAX, ARE THERE OTHER TAX IMPLICATIONS? Yes. The Australian Taxation Office requires any Salary Sacrifice arrangement with your Employer to be made in advance. You will need to advise your Employer in advance so that appropriate SSS_SALSAC_LAMP_0607

www.statesuper.nsw.gov.au

42 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

Disclaimer: The State Superannuation Scheme (SSS) is administered by Pillar Administration on behalf of the Trustee, SAS Trustee Corporation (STC). SSS is governed by the Superannuation Act 1916, the State Authorities Non-contributory Superannuation Act 1987 and the Superannuation Administration Act 1996. The Scheme is also subject to Commonwealth Government superannuation and tax legislation. Reasonable care has been taken in producing this information but nothing in it is to be regarded as personal advice. If there is any inconsistency between the information herein and the relevant Scheme legislation, the Scheme legislation will prevail. In preparing this information, STC has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and, because of this, you should consider your personal circumstances and possibly seek professional advice before making any decision that affects your future. To the extent permitted by law, STC, its directors and employees do not warrant the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information contained in or omitted above.

s

L I F E S T Y L E

Book me Consumer Voice and Choice in Long-Term Care

by Suzanne R Kunkel and Valerie Wellin, Springer Publishing, RRP $45.00, ISBN 0-8261-0210-7 This book is intended to serve as a resource as the field of long-term services for older adults increases its commitment to consumer empowerment.

This volume describes current research, practice, and critical thought related to consumer voice and choice in long-term care. Topics include approaches to capturing and measuring consumer satisfaction and quality, case management, quality improvement, and decision making and planning.

Harvard Medical School Guide to Healing Your Sinuses

by Ralph Metson, MD, with Steve Mardon, McGraw-Hill, RRP $14.95, ISBN 0-07-144469-6 In the Harvard Medical School Guide to Healing Your Sinuses, Ralph B Metson, MD, a third-generation ear, nose,

S P E C I A L

and throat specialist with more than 20 years’ experience, tells you everything you need to know about taming your aching sinuses. A leading national authority in the field, Dr Metson fills you in on the ABCs of sinusitis, and how to identify the cause of your symptoms, the entire range of treatments – from saltwater irrigation to laser surgery, the pros and cons of decongestants, antibiotics and steroids, what to expect from surgery, and whether you’re likely to benefit from it and how to develop a total sinus management plan tailored to your needs.

Practising Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals (2nd edition)

by John Driscoll, forward by Tania Yegdich, Baillière Tindall (available through Elsevier Australia, RRP $69.95, ISBN 9780-7020-2779-6 Practising Clinical Supervision is directed primarily towards health care professionals outside of the United States. With contributors from the UK and Australia, the second edition builds on the success of the original, which was praised for engaging readers and being a pragmatic and practice-oriented

I N T E R E S T

T I T L E

The Big Fat Conspiracy: How to Protect Your Family’s Health

by Melissa Sweet, ABC Books, RRP $32.95, ISBN 978-0-7333-2181-8 So what is this conspiracy? This book is about a real conspiracy that is affecting the lives of all of us now and is compromising the health and wellbeing of our children into the future. Melissa Sweet raises concerns that too much attention is being focused on individual children rather than the broader societal factors contributing to weight gain. She says that blaming parents is unfair when so many powerful interests – the food, transport, and media industries – contribute to the problem. The Big Fat Conspiracy gives you and your family the tools you need to resist the big fat conspiracy of modern life: awareness, understanding and plenty of practical advice.

addition to the literature on clinical supervision. This edition is written in accessible style and will appeal to those both new to clinical supervision or experienced. It provides a thought-provoking, userfriendly and practical guide to the subject.

Herbs and Natural Supplements: An EvidenceBased Guide (2nd edition)

by Lesley Braun and Marc Cohen, Churchill Livingstone (available through Elsevier Australia), RRP $69.95, ISBN 9780-7295-3796-4 Herbs and Natural Supplements presents evidence-based information on the 120 most popular herbs, nutrients and food supplements used across Australia. Organised alphabetically by common name, each herb or nutrient listed includes information such as daily intake, main actions/indications, adverse reactions, contraindications and precautions, safety in pregnancy and more. The text also includes a comprehensive chapter on drug–herb interactions, which explores the fundamental principles involved and also provides the reader with a valuable system outlining how to use this information in practice. Additionally, there is a unique chapter on complementary medicine and perioperative care.n

WHERE TO GET THIS MONTH’S NEW RELEASES These books are all available on order through the publisher or your local bookshop. Members of the NSWNA can borrow any of these books and more from our Records and Information Centre.

For borrowing information, contact Jeannette Bromfield, 8595 2175, jbromfield@nswnurses.asn.au or Cathy Matias, 8595 2121, cmatias@nswnurses.asn.au THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 43

POSITIONS VACANT PROFESSIONAL OFFICER – RECRUITMENT LIAISON OFFICER n

The Recruitment Liaison Officer (RLO) is a new position and will be part of the Professional Services Team. The position will be responsible for recruiting student nurses to the Association and responding to the needs of these students. This will include networking and forming alliances with key stakeholders, such as university lecturers, key government departments

ORGANISER – SECONDMENT POSITION

n

6-month period The position is responsible for the development of strategies to recruit new members, identifying and developing workplace activists, participating in workplace campaigns, responding to workplace industrial issues and liaison with all levels of management

Further enquiries can be directed to Kate Adams, Manager Professional Services Team 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (rural callers).

Further enquires can be directed to Robyn Anson, Employee Relations Officer, by telephoning 02 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (country callers).

Applications should be received by 31 August 2007 to:

Applications should be received by 31 August 2007 to:

Robyn Anson Employee Relations Officer NSW Nurses’ Association PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450

Brett Holmes General Secretary NSW Nurses’ Association PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450

Authorised by Brett Holmes, General Secretary NSWNA

NSW Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Fund

2007 NURSING AND MIDWIFERY

INNOVATION SCHOLARSHIPS The NSW Department of Health is offering nursing and midwifery innovation scholarships in 2007.

Ten (10) scholarships are available up to $10,000 each. These scholarships are for nurses and midwives to lead innovative projects that demonstrate improvement to service delivery in clinical areas of patient care.

Applications close 31 August 2007 for projects that will be completed

by September 2008.

To obtain selection criteria and information on the application process visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/nursing/scholar.html or contact the Project Officer Scholarships via email at nscholar@doh.health.nsw.gov.au.

44 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

CRoSSWoRD How well do you know your anatomy? Test yourself in this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crossword.

1

2

6

3

4

7

5

8 9

10 11

13

14

15 17

21

12

16 18

19

20

22

23 25

27

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26 28 29

30 31 32

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Adipose tissue (3) Red blood cells (12) Not closed (4) The joint where tibia and fibula articulate with the talus (5) Tubes inserted into the urethra (9) Index to measure body mass, abbrev (1.1.1.)

Sedimentation rate for 6. Across, abbrev (1.1.1.)

A small blister (7) Abbreviation for phenylketonuria, a congenital disease (1.1.1.)

Evidence-based practice, abbrev (1.1.1.)

System for processing food, encompassing the duodenum and ileum (9) The carpus (5) Blood vessel carrying blood from the capillaries back to the heart (4) The sac under the lower surface of the liver (12) Ventricular septal defect, abrrev (1.1.1.)

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The skull (7) Keratinised portion of the toes (8) Fluid collected in the lymph nodes (5) Cleanness, state of good hygiene (7) The ankle bone (5) Bottoms of your feet (5) Not good, wicked (4) Where critically ill patients are found, abbrev (1.1.1.)

How a drip is delivered into the blood, abbrev (1.1.)

Site of the retina and iris (3) The organs of hearing and equilibrium (4) Collar bone (8) Where emergency patients go, abbrev (1.1.)

Renal dialysis is used to treat these (7) Ulcer (7) Getting older (5) Healed, treated (5) Name of a job, position (5)

11.

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21.

23.

27.

29.

30.

31.

32.

Solution page 47 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 45

DIARY DATES

Conferences, seminars, meetings SYDNEY, HUNTER & ILLAWARRA Medecins Sans Frontieres Info evening 8 August, University of Sydney, 7pm Contact: Katrina Penney, 1300 136 061, 0439 955 900, katrina.penney@sydney. msf.org, www.msf.org.au Nurses Christian Fellowship 18 August: prof. b/fast, Mt Annan Botanic Gardens; 8 Sept: AGM, St Pauls Anglican Church Chatswood; 12 Oct : professional evening, Macquarie Park Contact: Diana, 9476 4440/ Jane, 9449 4868 Bennelong YR@W Womens Forum 23 August, Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club Contact: Rita Martin, 8595 1234, rmartin@nswnurses.asn.au Mental Health Nurses Forum 24 August, NSWNA h/o, 43 Australia St Camperdown, 9am–4pm.

Cost: $30 member, $50 non-member, nursing student free (limited places) Contact: Carolyn Kulling, 8595 1234 17th Annual Spinal Injuries Nurses Association Conference 23–24 Aug, College of Nursing, Burwood.

Contact: Wendy Jannings, 9926 5599, wjannings@nsccahs.health.nsw.gov.au 7th Annual Rural Critical Care Conf.

24–25 August, Ballina Contact: info@eastcoastconferences.com.au 1300 368 783, www.ruralcriticalcare.asn.au 13th Annual International Holistic Health Conference 24–25 August, Peppers Fairmont, Leura, Blue Mountains Contact: Anna Ryan, 8699 0582, admin@aima.net.au, www.aima.net.au The Children’s Hospital Westmead – NAHRC. Paediatric Research Seminar 2007: Creating Futures.

29 August. Contact: Donna Rose, 9845 0412, donnar@chw.edu.au Aust. Asthma Respiratory Educ. Assoc.

27–31 Aug, Children’s Hosp., Westmead Contact: Lucy Keatley, 0411 212 303 Email: keatley@ozemail.com.au www.aareducation.com The Institute of Health Care Fire Safety Bi-Annual Conference 14 Sept, Quality Resourt Sails. Cost: $350$450 members, $550-$650 non-members.

Contact: Wendy McCaig 0423 027 648 wendy.mccaig@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au History Week: Exhibition to Celebrate Nursing & Midwifery History 18–22 Sept, University of Sydney Contact: Lynette Russell, 9351 0635, lrussell@nursing.usyd.edu.au www.historycouncilnsw.org.au NSW 30th Infection Control Conference 19 – 21 Sept, Star City Darling Harbour Contact: 9745 9613/ ica@nursing.edu.au NSW Trauma Conference ‘Trauma in the Mountains‘ 20–21 September, Peppers Fairmont Resort, Leura, Blue Mountains.

Contact: Kerry Quinn, 4734 2518, quinnk@wahs.nsw.gov.au NSW Day Surgery Nurses Assoc.

Education Session + AGM 22 September, 321 Kent St, Sydney.

Contact: Julianne Thynne, 4226 6955, jthynne@wollongongdaysurgery.com.au Enrolled Nurse Prof. Assoc. Annual Conf. – ‘Enrolled Nurses Flying High’ 24–25 Sept, Panthers Leagues Club, Penrith Registrations & abstracts, contact 0500 500 187/ president@enpansw.org.au Union Aid Abroad (APHEDA) Gala Sydney Dinner 26 September, Paddington Town Hall, 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

Cost: $60 or $550 for a table of 10.

Contact: 9264 9343, office@apheda.org.au

Chronic Pain Association Inaugural Conference. ‘Driving Change in Persistent Pain: Revelations’ 26-27 September, Mary McKillop Place, 7-11 Mount St, North Sydney.

Contact: Sally Lane-Brittain, 6628 2901, sally@ppleducation.com.au, www.chronicpainassociation.org.au The Children’s Hospital Westmead Paediatric Nursing Seminar 2 Oct, cnr Hawksbury Rd & Hainsworth St, Westmead. Cost: $50 ($40 early bird) Contact: Adrienne Woods, 9845 0000, adriennb@chw.edu.au NSWNA 7th Professional Issues Conf.

5 October, Swiss Grand Resort & Spa, Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach.

Cost: members $85, non-members $100 Contact: Carolyn Culling 8595 1234 Kempsey Health Campus 31st InterHospital Mini Olympics.

25–26 October, Kempsey, NSW Contact: Sonia Guest, 6562 0218, sonia.guest@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au www.ncahs.nsw.gov.au/ihmo NSW Lactation College Conference ‘Good Better Best: Clinical Perspectives in Breastfeeding’ 26 –27 Oct, Coogee Crowne Plaza Hotel Contact: Lynne Hall, 9664 4315 or 0419 245 966, halls4@bigpond.net.au

INTERSTATE AND OVERSEAS Clinical Research Excellence ‘07 ‘Building the Clinical Research Profession’ Date: 17–19 August, Melbourne.

Tel: 03 9682 0500, www.crx07.com Redesigning Healthcare for Older Australians Conference 22–23 Aug, Novotel on Collins, Melbourne Contact: 02 9810 8700, info@themhs.org The Mental Health Services (The MHS) 17th Annual Conference ’20-20 Vision: Looking Toward Excellence in Mental Health Care in 2020’

4 – 7 Sept, Melbourne Convention Centre Contact: 02 9223 2600, info@iqpc.com.au ANF Victorian Branch: Stop the Silence. Workplace Violence Conference 12 Sept, 540 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne Contact: Yiota Paraskevopoulos, 03 9275 9333, records@anfvic.asn.au 9th National Conference. Congress of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN), Older, stronger wiser 19 – 21 Sept, Crowne Plaza, Alice Springs Contact: Susan Day, 02 8850 8317, days@wyeth.com 3rd Annual Australian Nurse Practitioner Association Conf. – ‘Nurse Practitioners: Change, Choice & Challenges’ 21 – 22 September, Sheraton Hotel, Perth.

Contact: (02) 9954 4400, anpa@dcconferences.com.au, www.dcconferences.com.au/anpa2007

Reunions Bankstown Lidcombe Hospital Emergency Department Reunion 11 August, 2pm, Carnarvon Golf Club, Nottingham St, Lidcombe.

Contact: Joanne Huggett 0408 256 586 Email: johug@bigpond.com Albury Mercy Hospital Reunion 25 Aug, 11am – 4pm, Commercial Club Albury. Cost $30pp (buffet included).

RSVP & payment must be made by 4 Aug. Contact: Helen Allen, 6040 6980 helenallen@ozemail.com.au Manning Rural Referral Hosp. Taree 8 September – reunion for all MBH/ Manning Base Hospital’s staff Contact: Merle Wright, 02 6552 2956 Email: mhicks@tpg.com.au Children’s Ward Mt Druitt Hospital – 25 Year Staff Reunion 22 Sept, 6.30pm, Woodruff Rm Penrith Panthers, Penrith. Cost: $55 BYO drinks.

Contact: Wendy McCredie, 4754 3326.

MOUNT ISA HEALTH SERVICE DISTRICT Striving for Excellence in Rural and Remote Health Care

JOIN OUR DYNAMIC NURSING SERVICE Do you deserve an annual bonus ? Do you deserve paid study leave ?

Fed up with the cold in NSW? COME NORTH, fantastic working conditions in a positive environment.

Our District covers the remote and rural areas of North West Queensland and we are recruiting into several Nurse Manager and Nurse Educator positions as well as other nursing positions.

Initial enquiries can be made to: Kerry Hamilton (Recruitment) by calling 07 4744 4405. Please leave your number and I will call back to have a chat and let you know about the incentive programs on offer. Or email Kerry_Hamilton@health.qld.gov.au. Visit our website at www.health.qld.gov.au/mt_isa 46 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 Mt Isav1.indd 1

17/7/07 9:04:20 AM

Diary Dates

RPAH Renal Unit Reunion Join the unit’s 40th anniversary year luncheon on 25 September.

Contact: Jane Mawson, 9515 7630, jane.mawson@email.cs.nsw.gov.au Pioneer Lodge Nursing Home Reunion 29 September, Griffith, NSW Contact: Joyce Moorhouse, 6962 4454 Tamworth Base Hospital Graduate Nurses 40th Reunion 13 October, Hospital Chapel, then Frog & Toad Function Centre.

RSVP by 1 October with payment $35.

Contact: Di Bushell (02)6765-2226.

Social event India-Australia Friendship Fair 2007 12 Aug, Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Ctr. Entry: $5, 10am–5pm. Visit the YR@W & Unions NSW stall at this event.

Contact: Raj Natarajan 0418-649-904.

Kenmore Hospital Museum Goulburn Open Day All welcome. Weekends 15–16 & 22–23 September between 10am-4pm. 197 Taralga Road, Goulburn 2580 NSW. Contact: Jenni Aubrey 02 48273412 (bh) or 02 48212587 (ah).

Other notices NSW Rights at Work – New website launched in July 2007 Visit www.nswrightsatwork.com.au NSW Nurses’ Association Recruitment Incentive Scheme From 30 June – 30 December 2007, the NSWNA Recruitment Incentive Scheme prize increases from a $5 voucher to a $10 voucher for all new applicants recruited by NSWNA members.

Contact NSWNA Communications Team at lridge@nswnurses.asn.au or 8595 1234.

Diary Dates is a free service for members. Please send the diary dates details, in the same format used here – event, date, venue, contact details, via email, fax, mail and the web before the 5th of the month prior, for example: 5th of August for September Lamp.

Send information to: Editorial Enquiries Email: lamp@nswnurses.asn.au Fax: 9550 3667, mail: PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 Please double-check all information sent is correct. The Lamp cannot guarantee that the issue will always be mailed in time for the listed event.

Due to high demands on the page, some dates too close to publication or

too far in the future may be cut. The dates that are to be printed are for three months in total. For example, in the March Lamp = March, April, May dates will be printed. Only Diary Dates with an advised date and contact person will be published.

Diary Dates are also on the web – www.nswnurses.asn.au Special Interest Groups Special Interest Groups is now part of Diary Dates. If you are a special interest group, you now must send information about your event as above.

Send us your snaps If you’re having a reunion, send us some photos and any information from the night, and we’ll try to publish them.

Broughton Hall Psychiatric Clinic Looking for staff of the former Broughton Hall Psychiatric Clinic (Rozelle) to interview for a small exhibition on the history of the site in August and September.

Contact: Bruce Carter, 9367 9266, brucec@lmc.nsw.gov.au

Crossword solution

All you have to focus on is meeting new friends.

At Hays, we make working in the UK and Ireland so easy, you’ll have more time to get on with enjoying your stay.

Ireland We have a great selection of permanent contracts across Ireland for Theatre, ICU, General and Mental Health RNs. Your skills and experience are currently in demand!

United Kingdom Exciting opportunities across the UK in both permanent and temporary contracts.

Theatre Staff, Mental Health and General Nurses work in Central London, Wales or locations across the South East or South West of England. We offer excellent benefits and a heavily discounted ONP (conditions apply).

For further assistance, information and to join our team, call now.

We also have immediate opportunities Australia-wide!

T 1300 305 687 E

aus.healthcare@hays.com

Specialist Recruitment hays.com/healthcare

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 47

CAREGIVERS a change is as good as a rest

use your nursing background to work as a temporary live-in care giver Do you want to Work and Travel?

Are you capable of providing housekeeping support, have some care-giving experience or have trained as a nurse and are you eligible to work in the UK? Then we can help you work and travel in the UK. Placements involve live-in care for older people in their own homes.

Depending on experience the pay is between $1000 and $1200 a week.

All placements are short-term and include free board and lodgings, making them a great way to augment your cash in between travel excursions.

Visit our website for more information about this fantastic opportunity – not only the great pay and conditions but also the good time off, holiday pay, free training and professional friendly support.

To be eligible to work for us in the UK you must have one of the following: • A valid British or European Union Passport • A Working Holiday Visa for commonwealth citizens aged 30 or under • An Ancestry Visa by virtue of having a UK grandparent Email us on: enquiries@oxfordaunts.co.uk or visit our website at: www.oxfordaunts.co.uk

OXFORD AUNTS CARE 3 Cornmarket Street Oxford OX1 3EX UK Phone: ++ 44 1865 791017 Fax: ++ 44 1865 242606

The High-Tech Intensive Care System everyone is talking about.

Medicraft Hill-Rom’s TotalCare SpO2RT Pulmonary Therapy system is designed to manage your acutely ill, immobile patients.

This unique system offers a combination of bedframe and surface that makes treating the critically ill patient easier and safer.

It is the only support system to offer three fundamental aspects of patient positioning:

Continuous Lateral Rotation Prone Positioning Upright Chair Position

The TotalCare SpO2RT Pulmonary Therapy system increases efficiency and improves safety by reducing the need for moving and handling of critically ill patients.

For details on the full range of our hospital beds, trolleys and ward furniture please visit: www.hill-rom.com or www.medicraft.com.au or call 02 9569 0255

Enhancing the lives of patients and caregivers

48 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

4HE¬#OLLEGE¬OF¬.U

RSING

INCORPORATING¬4HE¬.3 7¬#OLLEGE

¬OF¬.URSING

Graduate Certificate Handbook

2008

includes post registration and post enrolment certificate cours es

ARE YOU AN RN (DIV1), AN EN (DIV2), A MIDWIFE, OR A NURSE PRACTITIONER?

YES? ....THEN YOU

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w w w. a n m c . o r g . a u (02) 6257 7960 ‘Facilitating a national approach to nursing and midwifery regulation’

THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 49 ad for LAMP Nov 6 resized.indd 1

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24 & 25 September 2007 Panthers Leagues Club, Penrith Guest Speakers Include : • Adjunct Professor Debra Thoms – Chief Nursing Officer NSW Health • Irene Hancock – EN Education Manager NSCCAHS • The longest serving EN in NSW • Many more speakers on issues relevant to Enrolled Nurses in NSW Simply Midwifery

A Trade Display area will include information booths from groups with links to nursing and some retail therapy displays.

REGISTER NOW! $250 (ENPA Member) $270 (Non-member) Contact 0500500187 or email president@enpansw.org.au 50 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007

MIDWIVES!!

SAVE YOUR ENERGY FOR WHERE YOU WANT TO WORK! At present Staffing Synergy has more work available than we can handle and we need your help! We can offer you full time, part time or casual hours.

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Call Kay at Staffing Synergy Sydney on (02) 9575 3901, Marc at Staffing Synergy Melbourne on (03) 9857 3544 or visit us at www.staffingsynergy.com.au 10334

Discounts for nurses.

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THE LAMP AUGUST 2007 51

See why more members come to us for a Home Loan Union members receive a “member-only” discount with Members Equity Bank – which means you could save thousands over the life of your loan.

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52 THE LAMP AUGUST 2007