AUSTRALIAN NURSING AND MIDWIFERY FEDERATION (VICTORIAN BRANCH)
MINUTES OF 25th ANNUAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE
HELD AT
MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE 1 CONVENTION CENTRE PLACE, SOUTH WHARF, MELBOURNE
22 and 23 JUNE 2017 2
PRESENT:
Heather FURNESS Alan David Lodge Leanne MOONEY-RICKETSON Alan David Lodge Belinda ADAMS Albury Wodonga Health Deborah ALLAN Albury Wodonga Health Joanne AUEL Albury Wodonga Health Linda BALL Albury Wodonga Health Lynda BROWN Albury Wodonga Health Donna COOMBES Albury Wodonga Health Kerri CRAWFORD Albury Wodonga Health Jenny PEARCE Albury Wodonga Health Christine SCANLAN Albury Wodonga Health Julie TERRILL Albury Wodonga Health Dianne GOSCHNICK Alexandra District Hospital Bronwyn PYKE Alexandra District Hospital Paul ELLIOTT Alfred Hospital Peter HARDWICK Alfred Hospital Michael HENWOOD Alfred Hospital Quinn MCGUINNESS Alfred Hospital David ROMAN Alfred Hospital Bradley WHITTON Alfred Hospital Pamela ADKINS Angliss Hospital Ally BLACKBURN Angliss Hospital Carolyn CHANDLER Angliss Hospital Linda CLARKE Angliss Hospital Katie DUNN Angliss Hospital Fiona HERMAN Angliss Hospital Erin KOMISARCZYK Angliss Hospital Andrea LEONHARDT Angliss Hospital Erin ROUSSOS Angliss Hospital Cameron STEPHEN Angliss Hospital Zanka RENN Austin Health - Mental Health Service Marie ATKINSON Austin Hospital Melanie CARRON Austin Hospital Hong-May DAVIDSON Austin Hospital Natalie DAVIES Austin Hospital Helen DEWES Austin Hospital Jessyca DOMINI Austin Hospital Sandra ELLIOTT Austin Hospital Narelle HAYES Austin Hospital Cheryl HEYWOOD Austin Hospital Rebecca NAUGHTON Austin Hospital Sonia REYES Austin Hospital Eleonor ROBB Austin Hospital Penelope SHEPHERD Austin Hospital
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Adrian SPINELLI Austin Hospital Ani TOLLEY Austin Hospital Kathryn WILTSHIRE Austin Hospital Cindy LAY Australian Catholic University - St Patrick’s Claire O'CONNOR Australian Catholic University - St Patrick’s Keely RUSDEN Australian Catholic University - St Patrick’s Alexis SMITH Australian Catholic University - St Patrick’s Chris EDWIN Australian Red Cross Blood Service - Melbourne CBD Donor Centre Melissa LUDESCHER Australian Red Cross Blood Service - Melbourne CBD Donor Centre Erin WHITE Australian Red Cross Blood Service - Melbourne CBD Donor Centre Kim CANTRILL Bairnsdale Regional Health Service Tracey EAGLES Bairnsdale Regional Health Service Kathleen MCCULLAGH Bairnsdale Regional Health Service Janet PERRY Bairnsdale Regional Health Service Suzanne SOMERVILLE Bairnsdale Regional Health Service Ann MENNEN Ballarat Health Services - Adult Mental Health Services Lynn BROWELL Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Donna COMPTON Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Nicole DAVIES Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Pauline DISS Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Sally DOBBIE Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Cassia DREVER-SMITH Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Michelle HENDERSON Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Jacqueline HERMANN Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Leila HIGHAM Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Stephanie JAMES Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Jodie KENNA Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Rachael KIRSTEUER Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Lauretta KOLARIK Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Stephen MCKENZIE Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Frances MIRABELLI Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Laura SANDERS Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Hollie SCHULTZ Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Mark SMITH Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Lauren STORAY Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Rachel WHITE Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Teneille YORK Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital Jennifer ALLEN Ballarat Health Services QEGC Andree GOODMAN Ballarat Health Services QEGC Geoffrey JAMES Ballarat Health Services QEGC Sharon SIM Ballarat Health Services QEGC Kaylene THREADGOLD Ballarat Health Services QEGC Anna WATSON Ballarat Health Services QEGC Maree BURGESS Banyule City Council Susan FOWLER Baptist Village Baxter Karen MARTIN Baptist Village Baxter
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Jacqueline KRIZ Barwon Health - Aged Mental Health Services Shendelle DI-GIUSTO Barwon Health - Mental Health Services - Swanston Centre Kerrie HOLLAND Barwon Health - Mental Health Services - Swanston Centre Nicole PUPAVAC Barwon Health - Mental Health Services - Swanston Centre Alicia ROBERTS Barwon Health Community Nursing Karen BAMPFIELD Barwon Health Community Nursing Sarah BONE Bass Coast Health Jennifer BUXTON Bass Coast Health Leesa DOBSON Bass Coast Health Melinda HOPKINS Bass Coast Health Melissa MACDERMID Bass Coast Health Tarsha MACDONALD Bass Coast Health Alison MONGER Bays Hospital Dorothy UMNEY Bays Hospital Keith MCCULLOCH Beechworth Health Service Elizabeth O'NEILL Beechworth Health Service Alicia ROBERTS Belmont Community Health Kathryn CHIVERS Benalla & District Memorial Hospital Julie EXTON Benalla & District Memorial Hospital Louise HOLLAND Bendigo Community Health Services - Central Jennifer HURRELL Bendigo Community Health Services - Central Margaret CREDLIN Bendigo Health - Anne Caudle Centre Linda MUIR Bendigo Health - Anne Caudle Centre Kye WATSON Bendigo Health - Anne Caudle Centre Maria MONDINI Bendigo Health - Community Nursing Services David SCICLUNA Bendigo Health - Community Nursing Services Patricia SHELTON Bendigo Health - Community Nursing Services Zena COFFEY Bendigo Health - Simpkin House Mary EDDY Bendigo Health - Simpkin House Heath SHAWYER Bendigo Health - Simpkin House Michelle ASTON Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Veronica BROUGHTON Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Emma GOULDING Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Carly HICKSON Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Russell HOLDAWAY Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Damien HURRELL Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Julie LEARMONTH Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Antoinette PRENTICE Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Tony RIVETT Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Tracie SAVANAH Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Gerard SCANLON Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Mandy SCOTT Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Nicholas SHIPP Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Carolyn WYATT Bendigo Hospital - Acute Campus Michelle HOLLAND Boort District Hospital & Nursing Home Janet MCILROY Boroondara City Council
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Jasmin ABDULHAKEEM Box Hill Hospital Elizabeth BLAIR Box Hill Hospital Jessica FENTON Box Hill Hospital Prue FENWICKE Box Hill Hospital Lama HASSAN Box Hill Hospital Catherine HICKS Box Hill Hospital Elizabeth KERR Box Hill Hospital Mary KERR Box Hill Hospital Jennifer LEWIN Box Hill Hospital Marian MACDONALD Box Hill Hospital Rebecca MACKLIN Box Hill Hospital Kate MASON Box Hill Hospital Gary SEDGWICK Box Hill Hospital Joshua SEK Box Hill Hospital Michele DORE Boyne Russell House Nursing Leo GROSPE Boyne Russell House Nursing Ann HINDELL Boyne Russell House Nursing Leonie HOWARD Brimbank City Council Karen MACDONALD Brimbank City Council Coralee HARVEY Broadmeadows Health Service Catherine STEANE Broadmeadows Health Service Jun LAHOYLAHOY Bundoora Extended Care Centre Denise NUKU Bupa - Portland Heather ROBERTS Bupa - Portland Joanne TAYLOR Bupa - Portland Anita WABEKE Calvary Health Care Bethlehem Yvonne GRIFFITHS Casey City Council Mary PEKIN Casey City Council Gail REID Casey City Council Helen ALLEN Casey Hospital Therese MCGRATH Casey Hospital Lee MISKLE Casey Hospital Jessica PLYMIN Casey Hospital Sean RAWANI Casey Hospital Katherine TUDOR Casey Hospital Cecile VAUGHAN Casey Hospital Beverley VINCENT Casey Hospital Elizabeth WHITTAM Casey Hospital Leonard COLTON Castlemaine Health Julie COULTHARD Castlemaine Health Norma EWING Castlemaine Health Claire SUTTON Castlemaine Health Margaret BEECHEY Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Sally CAMPBELL Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Bernadette CASSIN Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Deidre CHIVERS Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale
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Shirley GREATOREX Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Julie HALL Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Alison HUDSON Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Krisdana LANCE Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Dianne MATCOTT Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Lorraine MATES Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Katherine MCCALL Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Desmond PENDERGAST Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Cindy ROBERTS Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Therese SMYTH Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Marita WILSON Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Lynda WRIGHT Central Gippsland Health Service - Sale Patricia GRANT City of Greater Bendigo Michelle LEA City of Greater Bendigo Sandra BEVERIDGE City of Whittlesea Kylie SOMERVILLE City of Whittlesea Leanne TAYLOR City of Whittlesea Sandra HADDOCK City of Yarra Michelle COLLIS Cobram District Hospital Debbie LANGSHAW Cobram District Hospital Jennifer METZNER Cobram District Hospital Dawn STANLEY Cobram District Hospital Mary NATOLI cohealth - Collingwood Tracey BARR-GRAHAM Colac Area Health Ricky BROWN Colac Area Health Leanne HOWARD Colac Area Health Karla INGRAM Colac Area Health Tracey NEWMAN Colac Area Health Janelle SLOANE Colac Area Health Ann SUMNER Colac Area Health Pauline WHEELER Colac Area Health Michelle WAGNER Cranbourne Integrated Care Centre Cathy BALDWIN Dandenong Hospital Tracey CLARK Dandenong Hospital Roslyn KENNEDY Dandenong Hospital Natascha MAZUREK Dandenong Hospital Tracy SLOANE Dandenong Hospital Leslie THOMASSE Dandenong Hospital Marcia TSIROS Dandenong Hospital Anna WOJCIECHOWSKI Dandenong Hospital Pauline CHANDLER Darebin City Council Katrina HENRIKSEN Darebin City Council Sally MCRAE Darebin City Council Leanne DWIGHT Darlingford Upper Goulburn Nursing Home Liza LINDER-LEIGHTON Deakin University - Warrnambool - Students Mary GARDINER Dept of Education & Training - Maternal & Child Health Line
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Susan O'CALLAGHAN Dept of Education & Training - Maternal & Child Health Line Deborah ELLIS Dept of Education & Training - North-Eastern - Glen Waverley Anna VASILIADIS Dorset Rehabilitation Centre Rebecca KAY East Wimmera Health Services - St Arnaud Kay PICKTHALL East Wimmera Health Services - St Arnaud John KOLAR Eastern@Home Linda CARR Echuca Regional Health Rhonda DULLARD Echuca Regional Health Majella PANGRAZIO Echuca Regional Health Anita STIRLING Echuca Regional Health Amber HODGSON Epworth Freemasons Hospital - Clarendon Street Rachael WAUGH Epworth Freemasons Hospital - Clarendon Street Rosemary MORGAN Epworth Freemasons Hospital - Victoria Parade Nicole BROWN Epworth Hospital Jennifer WRAITH-SMITH Epworth Hospital Sarion KELLY Epworth Rehab - Camberwell Cheryl CASEY Eventide Lutheran Homes Zarifa BAGHIRLI Federation University Australia - Mount Helen - Stu Stacey MOLL Federation University Australia - Mount Helen - Stu Helen BOTTRELL Footscray Hospital Samandra CROKER Footscray Hospital Annette DOSANJH Footscray Hospital Veronica GAVAGHAN Footscray Hospital Allington GONO Footscray Hospital Vicky HANSEN Footscray Hospital Vicki INGRAM Footscray Hospital Olga LEAROYD Footscray Hospital David ODGERS Footscray Hospital Janine WITCOMB Frances Perry House Marcus ARROWSMITH Frankston Hospital Barbara BELL Frankston Hospital Lucy CARPENTER Frankston Hospital Melanie FLASKIS Frankston Hospital Shirley FLEMING Frankston Hospital Stewart FOWLER Frankston Hospital Alaina FOX Frankston Hospital Lynette JENNINGS Frankston Hospital Jenny JONES Frankston Hospital Denise KOHLMAN Frankston Hospital Felicity LEAVOLD Frankston Hospital Beverley MAPLE Frankston Hospital Susan MISTELI Frankston Hospital Marcus MOONEY Frankston Hospital Christina MORGAN Frankston Hospital Dianne MORGANS Frankston Hospital Jenna NELSON Frankston Hospital
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Christine O'BRIEN Frankston Hospital Caroline POROBIC Frankston Hospital Shireen RAJARAM Frankston Hospital Emma RIGBY Frankston Hospital Rosalind ROBERTSON Frankston Hospital Rachelle THOM Frankston Hospital Christine WALKER Frankston Hospital Rachel WEAVER Frankston Hospital Tracy MCINDOE-NORTON Frankston Private Hospital Maria BRAGAGNOLO Fronditha Thalpori Aged Care Services - St Albans Vicky TZOUVELIS Fronditha Thalpori Aged Care Services - St Albans Jan CAROLANE Garrison Health Services - Albury Wodonga Health Centre Roslyn FORREST Garrison Health Services - Albury Wodonga Health Centre Zenaida PENDERGAST Gippsland Lakes Community Health Vivienne GREEN Gippsland Southern Health Service - Korumburra Ruth HOWELLS Gippsland Southern Health Service - Korumburra Wendy REYNOLDS Gippsland Womens Health Service Elizabeth BARTON Golf Links Road Michelle PORTER Golf Links Road Luisa WATERHOUSE Golf Links Road Carmel O'SULLIVAN Goulburn Valley Area Mental Health Service - Grutzner House Vicki THURSTON Goulburn Valley Area Mental Health Service - Grutzner House Helen LESAY Goulburn Valley Health Joan MARR Gregory Lodge Glenistair HANCOCK Hamilton Base Hospital Maureen HOPPER Hazeldean Transitional Care Unit Sarah HAZELL Healesville And District Hospital Janice JOHNSON Healesville And District Hospital Marina KEITLEY Healesville And District Hospital Kathryn MALLOWS Healesville And District Hospital Bridget WHITNEY Healesville And District Hospital Mara MANFRIN Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital Susan NUNIS Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital Yvonne GARLAND Hepburn Health Services - Creswick Loren PHELPS Hepburn Health Services - Creswick Julie SECCULL Hepburn Health Services - Creswick Suzanne SMITH Hepburn Health Services - Creswick Donna THOMPSON Hepburn Health Services - Trentham Nursing Home Anne O'CONNOR IPC Health - Hobsons Bay Gayle DODDS John Fawkner Hospital Stephanie PUTKER John Fawkner Hospital Heather SELKRIG John Fawkner Hospital Kerryn BRADSHAW Kerang & District Hospital Jennifer FARLEY Kerang & District Hospital Megan HEFFER Kerang & District Hospital Deaniee HENDERSON Kerang & District Hospital
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Jeanette MAKEHAM Kerang & District Hospital Lorraine SINCLAIR Kerang & District Hospital Tracey BAKER Kingston Centre Janelle HARWOOD Kingston Centre Saleshni KISHOR Kingston Centre Shylini PRASAD Kingston Centre Rachael WHYTE Kingston Centre Mark HAYDON Knox Private Hospital Maria MARCELINO Knox Private Hospital Sally PARKINSON Knox Private Hospital Christine SIMPSON Knox Private Hospital Rizalyn SISCAR Knox Private Hospital Lee WEMBRIDGE Knox Private Hospital Joanne JACKSON Kyabram & District Health Service Alison AUSTIN Kyneton District Health Service Kathleen KOOTSTRA Latrobe Community Health Service - Morwell Sharon BUDGE Latrobe Regional Hospital Eva-Marie BURTON Latrobe Regional Hospital Luka DJUDUROVIC Latrobe Regional Hospital Carolyn FOOTE Latrobe Regional Hospital Neil LANGSTAFF Latrobe Regional Hospital Bernardette LEWINDON Latrobe Regional Hospital Rocchina MARINO Latrobe Regional Hospital Alice MASON Latrobe Regional Hospital Vanessa MITCHELL Latrobe Regional Hospital Audrey MOLINARI Latrobe Regional Hospital Tracy SKINNER Latrobe Regional Hospital Jillian WILLIAMS Latrobe Regional Hospital June YUEN Latrobe Regional Hospital Bernadette HENDERSON Latrobe Regional Hospital - Community Residential Care Unit Erica ANDERSEN Latrobe Regional Hospital - Mental Health Services Emma MORRIS Latrobe Regional Hospital - Mental Health Services Nicole PEARLESS Latrobe Regional Hospital - Mental Health Services Alison SHEA Latrobe Regional Hospital - Mental Health Services Nicole WHITTLE Latrobe Regional Hospital - Mental Health Services Brian HABERFIELD Lyndoch Nursing Home Julie-Anne STEVENS Macedon Ranges Shire Council Mary PHILLIPS Maffra District Hospital Colleen MEEHAN Mallacoota & District Health & Support Service Glennis BARNES Mallee Track Health & Community Service Tara BOYLE Manningham City Council Rosemary HINZ Manningham City Council Karen FREEMAN Maribyrnong City Council Lydia TALARICO Maribyrnong City Council Christine POSTE Maroondah City Council Lyndal ALSTON Maroondah Hospital
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Melinda GREEN Maroondah Hospital Kelly HADEN Maroondah Hospital Rita HOWES Maroondah Hospital Paul SMITH Maroondah Hospital Dianne VERTIGAN Maroondah Hospital Anne CRAWFORD Maroondah Satellite Dialysis Unit Yingyu LI Maroondah Satellite Dialysis Unit Kaiting LIANG Maroondah Satellite Dialysis Unit Lynette MAUGER Maroondah Satellite Dialysis Unit Julie CURRIE Maryborough & District Hospital Deborah HOLLOWAY Maryborough Nursing Home David CORSTORPHAN McKellar Centre Jo-Anne MCALLISTER Melton City Council Karen COSTER Mercy Hospital For Women Megan HAYES Mercy Hospital For Women Kristin KNORR Mercy Hospital For Women Patrizia SEPULCRI Mercy Hospital For Women Jane VALENTA Mercy Hospital For Women Philip GUEST Mercy Mental Health Community Care Units Bettina CHAPMAN Mercy Mental Health Psychiatric Unit Jacinta CROFTON Mercy Mental Health Psychiatric Unit Melissa HUGHES Mercy Mental Health Psychiatric Unit Nicole PERRY Mercy Mental Health Psychiatric Unit Bethany KNIGHT Mercy Mental Health Saltwater Clinic Andrea KAVANAGH Mercy Mental Health Wyndham Community Natalie LENTINI Mercy Mental Health Wyndham Community Ashleigh LEWER Mercy Mental Health Wyndham Community Rachael WROBEL Mercy Mental Health Wyndham Community Brooke ANDREWS Mildura Base Hospital Kaylene HART Mildura Base Hospital Joanne HERDE Mildura Base Hospital Julie KLARIC Mildura Base Hospital Louise MAROZZI Mildura Base Hospital Hannah METCHER Mitcham Private Hospital Deborah BRENT Monash Health - Dandenong Area Mental Health - Inpatient Alison MATTHEWS Monash Health - Dandenong Area Mental Health - Inpatient Melinda CONNAN Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Fiona CRESSWELL Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Karen FRENCH Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Joanne FULLERTON Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Antoinette JOHNSON Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Irina LEVKOVSKAYA Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Ann LOWE Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Jade MACFARLANE Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Joyce MACLURE Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Fermin MATEO Monash Medical Centre - Clayton
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Angie NG Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Bryony ROSS Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Cathryne SCARRATT Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Antony SINGARASA Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Vickie STEWART Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Isabel TRUMAN Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Jilska WILLIAMS Monash Medical Centre - Clayton Marcia GATES Monash Medical Centre - Moorabbin Mary Anne ROBERTS Monash Medical Centre - Moorabbin Janet WHITE Moonee Valley City Council Josephine CALVERT Moorabool Shire Council Ann O'DOHERTY Moorabool Shire Council Lisa AUCHETTL Moreland City Council Andrea LUPTON Moreland City Council Bernadette SPEIRS Moreland City Council Gregory BENTON NEBMHS - Wangaratta Community Mental Health Christopher MCNAIR NEBMHS - Wangaratta Community Mental Health Carolyn ATKINSON Nexus Primary Health - Broadford Annie BROOKS Nexus Primary Health - Broadford Jane FOLEY Northeast Health Wangaratta Heather GREAVES Northeast Health Wangaratta Susan GREY Northeast Health Wangaratta Debra IBBOTT Northeast Health Wangaratta Peter LEE Northeast Health Wangaratta Alexandra LEWIS Northeast Health Wangaratta Vanessa MCLEAN Northeast Health Wangaratta Debra MERRALL Northeast Health Wangaratta Brenda SMITH Northeast Health Wangaratta Natalie SPEZIALE Northeast Health Wangaratta Lisa DOWER Northern Hospital Cassie JEWELL Northern Hospital Harpinder KHALSA Northern Hospital Agnieszka KUCIEL Northern Hospital Justin MATHEW Northern Hospital Jacqueline O'SULLIVAN Northern Hospital Darryl REYNOLDS Northern Hospital Jacqueline ROBERTS Northern Hospital Kathryn SEAMONS Northern Hospital Erin STERRITT Northern Hospital Diana NEVILLE Northpark Private Hospital Carol ERICHSEN NorthWestern Mental Health - Northern Area - Broadmeadows Patricia BENNETT O'Connell Family Centre Margaret WORCESTER Omeo District Health Leonie WILLIAMS Opal Sale Carol CLAY Orbost Regional Health Merrill HERBERT Orbost Regional Health
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Tracy HIBBERSON Orbost Regional Health Arie DE LEEUW Otway Health & Community Services Tania GAYLARD Otway Health & Community Services Lynette HORTON Otway Health & Community Services Andrew MORGAN Outer East Mental Health Services - Inpatient Services Lynn CARPENTER Peninsula Health - Mental Health - Inpatient Unit Prudence HUNTER Peninsula Health - Mental Health - Inpatient Unit Tracy MCINDOE-NORTON Peninsula Private Hospital Maureen OAKLEY Peninsula Private Hospital Joanne WATERS Peninsula Private Hospital Noreen BURKE Peter James Centre - Burwood Rehab Lisa JARVIS Peter James Centre - Burwood Rehab Helene JONES Peter James Centre - Burwood Rehab Susan MCINTOSH Peter James Centre - Burwood Rehab Rebecca SCARRATT Peter James Centre - Burwood Rehab Jacqueline CUSHNAHAN Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Catherine MCMUTRIE Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Emily FREDERICKS Portland District Health Janina JACKSON Portland District Health Noelene MABBITT Portland District Health Nicola TAYLOR Portland District Health Carol PHELAN Queen Elizabeth Centre - Noble Park Valerie THOMPSON Queen Elizabeth Centre - Noble Park Linda LEIBBRANDT Ralac Lionsbrae Aged Care Facility Roslyn HOLLAND RDNS Eastern Melbourne Metropolitan Hub Elizabeth PERDOMO RDNS Homeless Persons Program Lori-Anne SHARP RDNS Homeless Persons Program Elisabeth HALL RDNS Northern Melbourne Metropolitan Hub Anthony CRAUS RDNS Southern Melbourne Metropolitan Hub Jane RICHARDSON RDNS Southern Melbourne Metropolitan Hub Edelweiss O'KEEFE RDNS Western Melbourne Metropolitan Hub Merinda JONES Regional Imaging Gippsland - Traralgon Petra SALES Ringwood Private Hospital Vivienne WEISSEL Ringwood Private Hospital Margaret WESTLAKE Ringwood Private Hospital Barbara CHIRNSIDE Rochester & Elmore District Health Service Jean HOLMBERG Rochester & Elmore District Health Service Therese JENSEN Rochester & Elmore District Health Service Ruth O'CONNOR Rochester & Elmore District Health Service Heather WICKHAM Rochester & Elmore District Health Service Hao CHEN Rosanna Views Residential Aged Care Facility Suzanne MILLS Rosebud Community Health Melissa BROSCHE Rosebud Hospital Emma HOLLISTER-CLARKE Rosebud Hospital Stephen LOCKWOOD Rosebud Hospital Kay DOWNING Royal Children’s Hospital
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Melissa MAXEY Royal Children’s Hospital Rita MORENO-DIAZ Royal Children’s Hospital Swe OOI Royal Children’s Hospital Belinda PHELAN Royal Children’s Hospital Kim RILEY Royal Children’s Hospital Emma SCHNELLE Royal Children’s Hospital Mihella SIMRAJH Royal Children’s Hospital Malisa TRENG Royal Children’s Hospital Susy VULICH Royal Children’s Hospital Kirsten BOLTON Royal Dental Hospital Jose Mari VILLADOLID Royal Dental Hospital Sandra ALEXANDER Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Grace CARROLL Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Stephen CUSHNAHAN Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Sharmaine DAS-TONG Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Jessica DOHERTY Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus John GRANT Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Meinir GRIFFITHS Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Fiona GUNN Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Jo-Anne KEACH Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Veronica LINK-BARTOLINI Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Jessica MENGEL Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Leighton NOLTE Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Ruth O'CONNOR Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Tracey RODDA Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Helen SAVAGE Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Nicole WATT Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Glen WHITEFIELD Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Robyn WHITING Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Melanie CACCAMO Royal Melbourne Hospital Royal Park Campus Susan DUNN Royal Melbourne Hospital Royal Park Campus David KALLASMAE Royal Melbourne Hospital Royal Park Campus Kylie KELTY Royal Melbourne Hospital Royal Park Campus Sopheak KIM Royal Melbourne Hospital Royal Park Campus Megan LITTLE Royal Melbourne Hospital Royal Park Campus Vanessa SIMONS Royal Melbourne Hospital Royal Park Campus Patrick SMALL Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre Ronald HOPPENBROUWER Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital Edwina ROLLS Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital Phoebe BRICK Royal Women’s Hospital Margaret BROGDEN Royal Women’s Hospital Wendy BURNETT Royal Women’s Hospital Sumeyye CETINKIRAN Royal Women’s Hospital Shuk CHUNG Royal Women’s Hospital Emma FLEMING Royal Women’s Hospital Rebecca GOMM Royal Women’s Hospital
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Geraldine HAMBROOK Royal Women’s Hospital Roxane INGLETON Royal Women’s Hospital Marie JONES Royal Women’s Hospital Samantha MICKLEFIELD Royal Women’s Hospital Stephen MIFSUD Royal Women’s Hospital Elisabeth MOLONEY Royal Women’s Hospital Angela MORRIS Royal Women’s Hospital Shelley TAYLOR Royal Women’s Hospital Karen GERMANO Rural Northwest Health - Warracknabeal Marlene SHARPE Sandringham Hospital Karen CULLEN Shepparton Private Hospital Nicole WILLIAMS South East Palliative Care Emily KELLY South Eastern Private Hospital Lethi KULANGARA South Eastern Private Hospital Laura FFROST South Geelong Dialysis Unit Susan BEST South Gippsland Hospital Mary DORTMANS South Gippsland Hospital Kirsty MITCHELL South West Healthcare - Camperdown Jennifer CHARLES South West Healthcare - Warrnambool Vicky EZARD South West Healthcare - Warrnambool Simone GORMAN South West Healthcare - Warrnambool Jane HABERFIELD South West Healthcare - Warrnambool Erin KLOSE South West Healthcare - Warrnambool Timothy O'BRIEN South West Healthcare - Warrnambool Theresa SWANSON South West Healthcare - Warrnambool Keren GILLESPIE St John of God - Berwick Pamela LUXMOORE St John of God - Berwick Lynette BAKER St John of God - Geelong Jacinta DRON St John of God - Geelong Catherine NORMOYLE St John of God - Geelong Veronica EGAN St Vincent’s Correctional - Port Phillip Prison Christopher OTT St Vincent’s Hospital Russell STEWART St Vincent’s Mental Health Service - Hawthorn Community David ANDERSON St Vincent’s Mental Health Service - Riverside House Samantha CASEY St Vincent’s Private Hospital Fitzroy Jan MAPLE St Vincent’s Private Hospital Kew Belinda JOHNSON Sunraysia Community Health Home Nursing Frances BOND Sunraysia Community Health Services Lois SANDERS Sunraysia Community Health Services Sharon CARUANA Sunshine Hospital Janine CASTILLO Sunshine Hospital Leo EDWARDS Sunshine Hospital Verna GOULTON Sunshine Hospital Leonie GUSMAN Sunshine Hospital Della JONES Sunshine Hospital Loraine KELPIE Sunshine Hospital
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Mark MINETT Sunshine Hospital Glynis MISQUITTA Sunshine Hospital Rosemare PEARL Sunshine Hospital Simone WARD Sunshine Hospital Rajappa WILLIAM Sunshine Hospital Julian YAP Sunshine Hospital Qian Yu YAP Sunshine Hospital Tracey IBBS Swan Hill District Hospital Kim CLARK Tallangatta Hospital Ellen OWEN Tallangatta Hospital Hollie PURTON Tatura Hospital Cecilia WEBSTER The Mornington Centre Selina RUSSELL Toorak College Eleanor CRYER Tweddle Child & Family Health Service Lesley HOWAT Tweddle Child & Family Health Service Eileen MILNER Tweddle Child & Family Health Service Rachael BAKER University Hospital Geelong Christine BARNETT University Hospital Geelong Amanda BEST University Hospital Geelong Samantha BREGUET University Hospital Geelong Kylie COLE University Hospital Geelong Josephine CROWE University Hospital Geelong Alyce DICKSON University Hospital Geelong Joanne FORRESTER University Hospital Geelong Jillian GARDNER University Hospital Geelong Leanne HALLWORTH University Hospital Geelong Neil HANLEY University Hospital Geelong Zeta HENDERSON University Hospital Geelong Tatiana JACKSON MEI University Hospital Geelong Lara JEFFERY University Hospital Geelong Kristy KITTO University Hospital Geelong Glenys MCPHERSON University Hospital Geelong Margaret PEAKE University Hospital Geelong Sharon PITCHFORD University Hospital Geelong Te arahi SAMAKOWIDIC University Hospital Geelong Ellie VERGARI University Hospital Geelong Timothy WRIGHT University Hospital Geelong Jessica YORK University Hospital Geelong Michelle WILKINSON Upper Murray Health & Community Services Ann D'SILVA Valley Private Hospital Clare MURPHY Valley Private Hospital Warren PASCOE Victorian Rehabilitation Centre Angela EDMUNDS Wantirna Health Julie GREEN Wantirna Health Kelwyn HARCOURT Wantirna Health Barbara TAPPER Wantirna Health
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Julia JEFFRIES Warringal Private Hospital Meagan PRIEST Warringal Private Hospital Michelle BRENTNALL Werribee Mercy Hospital Melinda DALTON Werribee Mercy Hospital Sonia DONES-MARTIN Werribee Mercy Hospital Kellie DYER Werribee Mercy Hospital Marilyn JORDAN Western Health - Drug Health Services Carol MUNRO Western Health - Drug Health Services Jane ANGELL Williamstown Hospital Lynda BURLING Williamstown Hospital Ching LOO Williamstown Hospital Yvonne REID Williamstown Hospital Marion TEPPER Wimmera Hospital Denise WICKHAM Wimmera Hospital Joanna LANE Womens at Sandringham Lisa JOLLY Wyndham City Council Andrea MCMAHON Wyndham City Council Amanda SCHAAP Wyndham City Council Cecile VAUGHAN Yarra Ranges Shire Council Ruth HERDMAN Yarra Valley Health Services Sandra STAINER Yarram & District Health Service Sandra ROBSON Yea & District Memorial Hospital
Lisa FITZPATRICK Secretary ANMF (Vic Branch) Paul GILBERT Assistant Secretary ANMF (Vic Branch) Pip CAREW Assistant Secretary ANMF (Vic Branch) Members of ANMF (Vic Branch) Staff
WELCOME The Chairperson, Branch President Maree Burgess, declared the Annual Delegates Conference open at 8.55am and acknowledged the traditional owners of the land on which the conference was being held and paid respect to their elders past and present and welcomed Murrundindi, of the Wurundjeri people. She also welcomed all in attendance and introduced those at the top table. She noted that there were 695 delegates which included Job Reps, Health and Safety Reps and 161 delegates attending for the first time.
REPORT AND CONFIRMATION OF 2016 MINUTES Moved: Steven McKenzie Ballarat Health Services Seconded: Rachel Weaver Frankston Hospital
THAT THE MINUTES OF THE 2016 ANNUAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE BE CONFIRMED AS A CORRECT RECORD.
CARRIED SECRETARY’S REPORT
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The Secretary commenced her report explaining that the work in the coming year would be extensive building on a very full 2016. The move to the new Melbourne office would take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11, 12 and 13 August. ANMF would be closed on Friday 11 and Monday 14 and the first half of Tuesday 15 August to enable staff to complete packing, unpacking in 535 Elizabeth Street as well as orientate staff to the new building, learn about new technology, safety features and undertake a fire drill. The office would open for member services on Tuesday 15 August at 1.00 pm.
The new building would consist of:
9 levels 2 underground floors of carparks Ground floor - 410 seat conference centre - end of trip facilities - retail café “In a Rush” - Ryan Carlisle Thomas offices Mezzanine, First and Second floors - education rooms - breakout space from the conference centre as well as kitchen - library - two eight bed nursing simulation laboratories levels 3, 4 and 5 will be leased to tenants levels 6, 7 and 8 will be occupied by ANMF staff with a capacity for future growth.
Staff numbers were at 135 when building commenced at 535 Elizabeth Street, with numbers to increase to 148 and further staff to commence prior to November 2017 taking the total to 152. There would be additional Industrial Officers, Professional Officer, Organisers, Relieving Organisers, Information Line, Recruitment and Events, OH&S, Finance and Administrative support staff.
The Branch would also be increasing its presence in regional Victoria. In September offices will operate in Sunraysia district, initially in Swan Hill and Shepparton for organisers to use as a base. Ultimately, an office and Organiser would be based in Horsham as well. This would enable ANMF to increase its regional Victorian presence and provide greater face to face support to country Victorian members.
Designing and constructing 535 had been a four year project undertaken at a cost of approximately $75 million. The Branch had saved, taken out a loan and sold the current premises at 532 and 540 Elizabeth Street to the CFMEU for $30 million to help fund the project. The Branch has built what it can afford which would provide improved amenities to members and staff, as well as accommodating an increase in staff numbers to better service the increasing membership – now 79,055. The Branch Council together with the Finance Manager and Financial Consultant Michael O’Shaughnessy endeavoured to contain the membership fee increases to 2% or less in each year for the next five financial years. Growing services and containing the cost to members was important. The ANMF was the largest state union in the country, managing an expected income the current financial year in excess of $26 million.
The Secretary noted that since the last conference, EBAs for the public sector, public mental health sector, private acute sector, local government, public secondary and primary school nurses, clinics and day centres had been finalised and gone through the Fair Work Approval process. Excluding students, 94% of membership was covered by EBAs. The Secretary explained the importance of EBAs. A registered nurse with six years experience under the Modern Nurses Award had a weekly
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 18 base rate of $945.05. Under an enterprise agreement such as the public sector, that same nurse had a weekly base rate of $1,286.00 – 26.5% more. A similar percentage was experienced by enrolled nurses, midwives and carers.
The Branch was currently negotiating amongst other agreements, private aged enterprise agreements for members that work in Victoria’s 574 facilities and at this stage, approximately 25% have been completed. The most recent focus had been voting down the Bupa offer of a 2.3% wage increase contained in a 12 month Agreement. Bupa nurses were in the lowest 10% pay scale of Private Aged Care nurses and carers in Victoria. The aim was to achieve parity with their Private Aged Care counterparts. In addition to staff conducting multiple workplace visits, car park gatherings, morning and afternoon teas, the Branch invested $152,000 of members’ money to have billboards parked outside Bupa’s 26 facilities across Victoria for 10 days whilst the vote was taking place. The Bupa employer proposed Agreement was unequivocally rejected by ANMF members and other Bupa staff. The ANMF wanted Bupa back at the negotiating table and to let other providers know that when it comes to ANMF members’ entitlements, ANMF was enthusiastic, committed and had deep pockets.
In 2017 the Branch would be celebrating, together with VAMCHN SIG members, 100 years of Maternal and Child Health nursing in Victoria. To that end, a digital exhibition had been produced, a booklet going to print capturing the history of the nurses that worked in this important specialist service and would celebrate with an event in September, at Queen’s Hall hosted by the Premier of Victoria and responsible Minister Jenny Mikakos.
The General Public Sector Agreement and the Mental Health Agreement were well into Workplace Implementation Committee work and the Secretary asked that Job Reps and HSRs involved themselves and assist staff. By doing so, this would ensure that the many new features of the Agreements were implemented, including retaining the benefits of the old. ANMF staff could not do this alone. For both Agreements there was an overarching SDPP working group and work had commenced on implementing initiatives arising from the general public sector EBA. This work would continue through the life of this Agreement and would also impact on members working in the private acute and community sector. Work would also commence in the Mental Health Agreements.
These would include but not limited to: a. statewide classification committee b. new career structure c. nursing and health environment issues, commencing with waste management d. NUM and ANUM EBA education e. OVA and OH&S clauses
The ANMF Ratio Improvement Taskforce work had been significant. The ANMF work was submitted in mid February. The Secretary thanked those who also made submissions and appeared before the Taskforce. The ANMF published its claims, covering 25 clinical areas on the ANMF website and in the April edition of OTR. ANMF had appeared before the Taskforce on two occasions, once accompanied by a number of Job Reps from specific clinical areas to support the claims and was now awaiting its recommendations to the Health Minister Jill Hennessy in the coming months. It remained ANMF’s expectation that the SPC Act would be amended in 2018 to accommodate the outcome of the Taskforce’s recommendations. Vic Branch would need members to once again be active and lobby both the Opposition and others to gain support for approving the changes.
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The Branch worked successfully with the Andrews Government over the past months securing funding for a number of important initiatives impacting on nurses and midwives which included:
$3 million – bullying, harassment and OVA education $81 million – MCHNs which included scholarships to grow the workforce, additional education around family violence, additional EFT for the MCHN telephone line service $270,000 for the ANMF environment sustainability initiative commencing with waste management in health services $680,000 to secure the NMNPV face to face service for Victorian nurses and midwives into the future.
The Branch, over the next few months, would be drafting options for consideration by existing SIGs and the Branch Council on how ANMF SIGs would operate into the future. This would be an important piece of work which was required to happen given the introduction and recent amendments to the Registered Organisation Act which was one of the Federal Acts that the Branch Council must comply with. In addition, the ANMF federally had determined to undertake a complete review of the Rules, which included the operation and governance of the SIGs. The aim would be to make it easier for members to join, participate, provide greater ANMF support, increase activity in some of the groups and ensure that it was not too onerous, particularly for Executive members of the SIGs as well as expand the groups where possible. The review of the Federation’s Rules would also include reviewing the Annual Delegates Conference as well as voting rights.
In 2018 the Branch would commence what it believed to be a two year project, improving members access to information about their workplace, rights and their conditions of employment through a complete review of its IT databases and how they could be used to present members with concise and accurate information via the website and phone apps.
The Branch continued to work hard to address and prevent the every shift violence that plagued workplaces. With the work of the government taskforce due to commence, implementation as well as EBA clauses requiring hospitals to undertake serious work in some workplaces and develop an action plan, the Branch was starting to see small steps of improvement. A guide to advise hospitals on what they must do in order to decrease the risk of OVA to their staff had been produced. For HSRs, the Branch would need delegates assistance to implement the clauses and also monitor their workplace.
Significant work was also taking place with the ANMF Federal Office and Branches regarding how to communicate with members, particularly the ANMJ and for Vic Branch, the OTR which gets inserted into the 11 copies of the ANMJ in Victoria. Other Branches such as QNMU had moved to a quarterly journal, South Australia and Tasmania would move to online monthly journals rather than inserting a hard copy of their Branch journal into ANMJ. Vic Branch would need to make decisions about how to communicate with members, soft or hard copy or a mix of both, getting the balance and the frequency right. The Secretary thanked those who recently completed the member survey on communication matters which would assist the Branch in making decisions.
After four and a half years of legal proceedings between ANMF and IPHOA who run Kaizen hospitals in Victoria, those legal proceedings had come to an end. IPHOA withheld wage increases and other lawful entitlements arising from the agreements that ANMF negotiated on behalf of its members, with the matter ultimately settled when the High Court of Australia dismissed IPHOA’s last appeal and upheld the agreements. In addition, ANMF secured a written apology from Dr Thomas Wenkart, CEO of IPHOA, “apologising for delaying the payment of entitlements to nursing staff and the inconvenience caused to staff and their families which may have resulted from the payments being delayed”. Those proceedings were expensive, tough on members, but involved a matter of principle
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 20 which the Branch was prepared to litigate on behalf of its members. The Branch was up for the fight on issues that impacted on its members’ workplace rights.
The Branch had also successfully litigated against the RCH in relation to the definition of experience under the 2012 public sector agreement. Justice North’s findings secured for nurses and midwives into the future, recognition of their experience with previous employers both within and outside Victoria, irrespective of when and where they may have commenced their nursing journey. The Branch was currently undertaking further work with the assistance of the Health Minister in relation to issues for those that trained and worked overseas.
There were also changes that had occurred with the Education Centre at ANMF. The current Diploma of Nursing students would be the last cohort of students undertaking the Diploma at ANMF for some time. While it is was the intention of Vic Branch to join forces with sister branches Tasmania and South Australia into the future so that the three branches were delivering the same course, at this stage it was not a high priority for Vic Branch. Instead, the Branch would be focusing on its CPD offerings, both face to face and online for members. In addition, courses would be conducted where there was a gap in the market. An example of this was the upcoming inaugural WHS Certificate IV. The Secretary informed delegates that inside the conference pack was a flyer relating to this course. On the back was a place to complete an EOI. It was a 15 day blended course, to commence in September this year and if eligible for Victorian Skills First Government funding, would cost less than $500.00 to complete. The Branch was hoping to grow the expertise and provide an accredited qualification to those with an interest in WHS. In addition for the first time ever, ANMF had secured State Government funding to deliver education in conjunction with Turning Point to nurses, midwives and mental health nurses throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria on the drug ice and its impact on patients.
On delegates’ tables, where applicable, was a spreadsheet outlining information regarding the ward/units at their facility. The Secretary noted the need to keep this information as up to date as possible and asked that by morning tea, delegates complete the spreadsheet for their facility and to check that all wards were listed and the clinical specialty was accurate. It would be collected from tables at morning tea. ANMF staff would then approach delegates during the remainder of the conference if clarification or further information was required.
Continuing, the Secretary spoke about this years’ conference:
A) Workshop The Branch was seeking direct feedback from Reps and HSRs, to help inform the development of effective strategies designed to identify, develop leaders, increase participation, influence and activism and to ensure the ongoing sustainability of HSRs and Job Reps who were the union’s activists. At the 2013 Delegates conference, Vic Branch undertook a workshop, however on this occasion each group would be headed up by a member of Lysander Consulting who had undertaken a number of projects with the Branch in recent times. The Secretary said she hoped delegates would give the workshop their utmost attention to assist with important planning for the future.
B) Professor Margaret O’Connor, Emirutus Professor of Nursing, Palliative Care Specialist and nursing representative on the government’s expert panel would give an up to date insight as to where the assisted dying legislation was at. ANMF Vic Branch would be supporting the legislation given national and state and territory branch policies on the matter. In addition to the Parliamentary Inquiry and Consultation papers, the expert panel held a forum for ANMF members in April to hear their views, answer questions and also dispel the myths
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 21
surrounding the principals of the legislation. There was an another opportunity the following day for delegates to ask questions and hear the facts. ANMF experienced Job Rep Tara Nipe had also joined the Branch for this project and the Secretary asked those who last year volunteered as well as those who may now wish to assist in the campaign, to see the considered legislation through the Victorian Parliament.
C) The Victorian Parliament would be sitting the following day and so Ms Mary Wooldridge would be an apology. Health Minister Jill Hennessy would not attend in person either, however she had filmed a video so that the conference was still able to hear from her.
D) The Secretary said she was confident that Vic Branch had put together an interesting and thoughtful program focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing, midwifery and community issues, transgender and diversity health, family violence and in particular, legal support available to members, communicating effectively, making ethical clothing choices in Australia, the ANMF Awards for Job Reps and HSR of the year, an election for Vic Branch representatives to attend the ANMF national delegates conference and amongst all that, inspiration and humour.
E) Voting on resolutions this year was different and more in line with the Branch Rules. Votes would be allocated consistent with the representation entitled based on the number of financial members at workplaces. An example was – Frankston hospital had 25 delegates registered for the conference, 1533 financial members, which under the rules, were entitled to and had 5 votes. Echuca Regional Health had 4 delegates registered, 292 financial members and an entitlement to 3 votes. On delegates’ tables was a coloured piece of paper with the name of their facility and the number of votes their workplace had. In the event that there was a vote that was close, it was the workplace vote that would count – NOT the number of delegates who attended. There was a total of 448 votes and motions would be carried with a simple majority of 225.
The Secretary took the opportunity to advise that Lori Anne Sharp, ANMF Job Rep and Executive member was now the Federal Vice President of ANMF, taking over from Maree Burgess. Paul Gilbert was an ANMF representative on the ACTU Executive and last month the Secretary completed her term as VTHC President. These were very significant roles and bodies that the ANMF Vic Branch participated in.
It was an election year for the Secretary, Assistant Secretaries Paul Gilbert and Pip Carew and also the Branch Council who were in the throes of finalising a full ticket. The Secretary encouraged anyone interested in participating as a Branch Councillor to make themselves known to President Maree Burgess over the following two days, as each term, approximately three vacancies arose and delegates may like to consider being a Branch Councillor into the future. She would assist by advising what was involved. The Secretary said that Vic Branch ensures that Branch Council is reflective of membership, both metro and regional workplaces and clinical areas, gender and sectors. The Secretary, Paul Gilbert and Pip Carew sought delegates’ support in seeking another term in their roles.
A welcome was extended to Ms Vanessa Standfield, the new minutes Secretary for the Branch. Vanessa worked at the Branch for 21 years, fulfilling a number of administrative roles.
The Secretary concluded by saying she looked forward to another wonderful ANMF (Vic Branch) Delegates Conference.
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 22
Moved: Tim O’Brien South West Healthcare - Warrnambool Seconded: Lisa Auchettl Moreland City Council
THAT THE SECRETARY’S REPORT BE RECEIVED.
CARRIED
The balance of the conference comprised discussion and debate on motions, interspersed with speakers and other proceedings over the two days.
MOTIONS FOR DEBATE
1. Moved: Nicole Pupavac Barwon Health - Aged Mental Health Services Seconded: Jacqueline Kriz Barwon Health - Aged Mental Health Services
THAT THIS CONFERENCE NOTE ITS SUPPORT FOR THE ANDREWS GOVERNMENT'S COMMENCEMENT OF BUILDING A 90 BED PUBLIC AGED, INCLUDING PSYCHIATRIC AGED, FACILITY. FURTHER, THIS CONFERENCE REQUESTS THAT THE RESPONSIBLE MINISTER MEET WITH ANMF TO DISCUSS THE FULL EXTENT OF THE ANDREWS GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO VICTORIAN PUBLIC AGED CARE.
Nicole Pupavac spoke to the motion.
CARRIED
2. Moved: Jennifer Hurrell Bendigo Community Health Service Seconded: Damien Hurrell Bendigo Health
That this conference request ANMF (Vic Branch) to: a) Identify external leadership development opportunities suitable for members, such as Community Leadership Programs. b) Support members to apply for such programs.
Jennifer Hurrell spoke to the motion. Damien Hurrell spoke to the motion. Terry Swanston raised a point of clarification. The Secretary spoke to the motion and it was agreed to amend the motion to read:
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST ANMF (VIC BRANCH) TO:
A) IDENTIFY AND PROMOTE EXTERNAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES SUITABLE FOR MEMBERS, SUCH AS COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
B) SUPPORT MEMBERS TO APPLY AND ATTEND SUCH PROGRAMS.
CARRIED
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 23
3. Moved: Andrew Morgan Outer East Mental Health Services - Inpatient Services Seconded: Jacqueline Kriz Barwon Health - Aged Mental Health Services
THAT THIS CONFERENCE OF ANMF (VIC BRANCH) DELEGATES CONGRATULATE ALL ANMF MEMBERS WHO ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTED TO ACHIEVING THE HISTORIC OUTCOMES WITHIN THE PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH AND FORENSICARE EBA’S WHICH INCLUDED IMPROVED CONDITIONS FOR NURSES, STRENGTHENED OHS PROVISIONS, IMPROVED SALARIES AND NEW INDUSTRIAL WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT CLAUSES INCLUDING FOR THE FIRST TIME A STATE-WIDE REQUIREMENT FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A COMMUNITY WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT CLAUSES INCLUDING FOR THE FIRST TIME A STATE-WIDE REQUIREMENT FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A COMMUNITY WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND AN ADDITIONAL 125.8 EFT OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSES TO ASSIST WITH WORKLOADS IN BED BASED SERVICES.
Andrew Morgan spoke to the motion. Jacqueline Kriz spoke to the motion.
CARRIED
4. Moved: Andrew Morgan Outer Eastern Mental Health Services Seconded: Jacqueline Kriz Barwon Health Aged Mental Health Services
THAT THIS CONFERENCE OF ANMF (VIC BRANCH) DELEGATES ACKNOWLEDGE AND EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO THE MINISTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH, MARTIN FOLEY, FOR APPOINTING ANMF (VIC BRANCH) TO THE WORKFORCE REFERENCE GROUP, WHICH PROVIDES ADVICE DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNMENT AND SUPPORTS THE WORK OF THE MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT TASKFORCE.
HAVING ANMF ACTIVELY INVOLVED ENSURES THAT THE NEEDS OF OUR PROFESSION CAN BE PROGRESSED AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS, WHICH ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE ACCESSING SERVICES. ANMF INVOLVEMENT PROVIDES FOR THE NURSING PROFESSION NEEDS TO BE ON THE AGENDA OF WORKFORCE PROJECTS WHICH WILL BE FUNDED BY THE DHHS (SUCH AS THE PSYCHOTHERAPY ESSENTIALS FOR MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PROGRAM).
Andrew Morgan spoke to the motion. Jacqueline Kriz spoke to the motion.
CARRIED
5. Moved: Phoebe Brick Royal Women’s Hospital Seconded: Angela Morris Royal Women’s Hospital
That this conference request that ANMF (Vic Branch) work in collaboration with Government and the DHHS during the planning phase of new hospital developments to incorporate "quiet rooms" for nursing and midwifery staff to access day and / or night. These "quiet rooms" should consist of dimmable lighting and recliner chairs. Further, existing hospitals work towards incorporating a "quiet room" to assist staff to manage fatigue resulting from shift work.
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 24
Phoebe Brick spoke to the motion. Paul Elliott raised a point of clarification. The Secretary spoke to the motion. Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion.
It was agreed to amend the motion to read:
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT ANMF (VIC BRANCH) WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH GOVERNMENT AND THE DHHS DURING THE PLANNING PHASE OF NEW HOSPITAL DEVELOPMENTS TO INCORPORATE SUFFICIENT "QUIET ROOMS" FOR NURSING AND MIDWIFERY STAFF TO ACCESS DAY AND / OR NIGHT, SUCH "QUIET ROOMS" SHOULD CONSIST OF DIMMABLE LIGHTING AND RECLINER CHAIRS AND FURTHER, THAT EXISTING HOSPITALS WORK TOWARDS INCORPORATING A "QUIET ROOM" TO ASSIST STAFF TO MANAGE FATIGUE RESULTING FROM SHIFT WORK.
CARRIED
6. Moved: Lynda Brown Albury Wodonga Health Seconded: Donna Coombes Albury Wodonga Health
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT THE INDUSTRY OH&S WORKING GROUP, AS PART OF ITS ROSTERING WORK, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
A) FULL AND PART-TIME STAFF TO HAVE CONSECUTIVE DAYS OFF; B) LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SHORT CHANGE OVER SHIFTS; EG - PM TO AM, TO 3 IN A 28 DAY ROSTER CYCLE; C) A 48 HOUR BREAK AFTER WORKING NIGHT SHIFT; D) ALLOW NO MORE THAN SIX CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF WORK TO A MAXIMUM OF NINE AT THE INITIATIVE OF THE EMPLOYEE, FOLLOWING CONSULTATION AND AGREEMENT
WITH THE PROVISO THAT THE ABOVE OCCUR UNLESS OTHERWISE NEGOTIATED AND AGREED BY AN INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBER FOR EACH INSTANCE.
Lynda Brown spoke to the motion. Assistant SecretaryPaul Gilbert spoke to the motion. The Secretary raised a point of clarification. Damien Hurrell raised a point of clarification. Kelly Dwyer spoke against the motion. The Secretary spoke to the motion. Marg Credlin raised a point of clarification. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion.
CARRIED
7. Moved: Phoebe Brick The Royal Women’s Hospital Seconded: Angela Morris The Royal Women’s Hospital
That this conference request that ANMF (Vic Branch) negotiate that all meal breaks are paid.
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 25
Phoebe Brick spoke to the motion. Adrian Spinelli spoke against the motion. Terry Swanson raised a point of clarification. Lee Miskle spoke to the motion. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion.
LOST
8. Moved: Damien Hurrell Bendigo Health Seconded: Emma Goulding Bendigo Health
THAT THIS CONFERENCE NOTE:
1) THE AIHW (2016) DATA REPORTS “SPECIALISED PSYCHIATRIC CARE WAS PROVIDED FOR ABOUT ONE-THIRD (31.4%) OF AMBULATORY-EQUIVALENT SEPARATIONS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS; THE MAJORITY (68.6%) WERE SEPARATIONS WITHOUT SPECIALISED PSYCHIATRIC CARE”.
THEREFORE, ON ANY GIVEN DAY, NURSES AND MIDWIVES OUTSIDE OF SPECIALIST MENTAL HEALTH UNITS WILL BE CARING FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, HOWEVER, MANY HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED WITH CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON THE NEW MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2014.
2) THERE ARE MANY NEW PROVISIONS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2014, INCLUDING SECTION 77 (URGENT MEDICAL TREATMENT) THAT STATES “A HEALTH PRACTITIONER MAY PERFORM MEDICAL TREATMENT ON A PATIENT WITHOUT OBTAINING THE INFORMED CONSENT OF THE PATIENT OR A PERSON SPECIFIED IN SECTION 75 IF THE HEALTH PRACTITIONER IS SATISFIED ON REASONABLE GROUNDS THAT THE MEDICAL TREATMENT IS NECESSARY, AS A MATTER OF URGENCY”.
3) PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS (INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE SELF-HARMED) ARE BEING CARED FOR IN ACUTE HOSPITAL SETTINGS INITIALLY WITH THE PATIENT ACCEPTING MEDICAL TREATMENT. HOWEVER, SHOULD CONSENT BE WITHDRAWN, OR THE PATIENT MAKES AN ATTEMPT TO LEAVE, NURSES AND MIDWIVES ARE OFTEN UNCERTAIN OF THE LEGAL PROVISIONS IF THEY INTERVENE AND PREVENT THE PATIENT FROM LEAVING AND/OR APPLY RESTRAINTS.
4) FURTHER, NURSES AND MIDWIVES CARING FOR PATIENTS IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE OFTEN INSTRUCTED TO “NOT LET THE PERSON LEAVE” SHOULD THEY ATTEMPT TO.
5) THAT PATIENTS IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE OFTEN NOT AFFORDED THE PROTECTIONS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2014, SUCH AS A RIGHT TO REVIEW WITHIN THE TIMES DEFINED AND ASSOCIATED OBSERVATION AND NOTIFICATION PROVISIONS WHEN RESTRICTIVE INTERVENTIONS ARE APPLIED.
THIS CONFERENCE CALLS UPON ANMF (VIC BRANCH) TO SEEK AN URGENT MEETING WITH RELEVANT MINISTERS OF THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE A CODE OF PRACTICE (AS PER DIVISION 5 OF THE ACT) IS INITIATED, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ANMF (VIC BRANCH), THAT WILL PROVIDE PRACTICAL GUIDANCE TO NURSES AND MIDWIVES IN THE GENERAL HOSPITAL SETTING IN RELATION TO PERFORMING FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES UNDER THIS ACT.
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 26
THIS IMPORTANT CODE OF CONDUCT WOULD NEED TO HAVE ADEQUATE FUNDING ALLOCATED TO ENSURE THAT NURSES AND MIDWIVES GENUINELY HAVE ACCESS TO THE ASSOCIATED EDUCATION AND TRAINING, THEREBY IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACT.
Damien Hurrell spoke to the motion. Emma Goulding spoke to the motion. The Secretary spoke to the motion. CARRIED
9. Moved: Geraldine Hambrook Royal Women’s Hospital Seconded: Marie Jones Royal Women’s Hospital
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT ANMF (VIC BRANCH) ENSURES THAT EACH HOSPITAL EMPLOY A SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, THEREBY RECOGNISING THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT CLIMATE CHANGE WILL HAVE ON HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER'S ROLE COULD INCLUDE SUPPORTING AND COORDINATING SUSTAINABLE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS WASTE MANAGEMENT, RECYCLING, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND WATER CONSERVATION.
Geraldine Hambrook spoke to the motion. Marie Jones spoke to the motion. The Secretary spoke to the motion. Assistant Secretary Pip Carew spoke to the motion. CARRIED
10. Moved: Tracey Rodda Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus Seconded: Jo-Anne Keach Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT THOSE NURSES REQUIRED TO WEAR A LEAD APRON AT WORK BE PAID AN ALLOWANCE CONSISTENT WITH THEIR NSW COUNTERPARTS.
Tracey Rodda spoke to the motion. Edwina Rolls raised a point of clarification. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion. CARRIED
11. Moved: Pam Adkins Angliss Hospital Seconded: Ally Blackburn Angliss Hospital
That this conference request that ANMF (Vic Branch) work towards changing the EBA so that when daylight savings changes in autumn and the night shift is one hour longer, which is a OH&S risk, that on that Sunday, where the am shift is an 8 hour shift, the am shift commence work at 6.00am and finish at 2.30pm (the pm shift start at usual time of 1pm).
Pam Adkins spoke to the motion. Trish Grant raised a point of clarification.
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The Secretary raised a point of clarification. Denise Kohlman spoke against the motion. Lynn Browell spoke to the motion. Cameron Stephen spoke for the motion. Narelle Hayes spoke against the motion. Dave Corstorphan raised a point of clarification. Megan Hayes spoke against the motion. LOST
12. Moved: Lynda Brown Albury Wodonga Health Seconded: Donna Coombes Albury Wodonga Health
That this conference request that the ANMF (Vic Branch) redefine the definition of a weekend worker to be any permanent/temporary staff who work ordinary hours on weekdays and weekends, this additional leave for all weekend workers to be pro-rata according to the EFT worked and so would add one additional week of annual leave to the staff member’s entitlements giving them 6 weeks of annual leave.
Lynda Brown spoke to the motion. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert raised a point of clarification
It was agreed to amend the motion to read:
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT THE ANMF (VIC BRANCH) REDEFINE THE DEFINITION OF A WEEKEND WORKER TO BE ANY PERMANENT/TEMPORARY STAFF WHOSE ORDINARY HOURS INCLUDE WEEKENDS, THIS ADDITIONAL LEAVE FOR ALL WEEKEND WORKERS TO BE PRO-RATA ACCORDING TO THE EFT WORKED AND SO WOULD ADD ONE ADDITIONAL WEEK OF ANNUAL LEAVE TO THE STAFF MEMBER’S ENTITLEMENTS GIVING THEM 6 WEEKS OF ANNUAL LEAVE.
Janet Perry spoke against the motion. Terry Swanson raised a point of clarification. Karen Gillespie spoke for the motion. Mim Hopkins spoke against the motion. The Secretary spoke to the motion. Damien Hurrell raised a point of clarification. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion. Damien Hurrell spoke against the motion. Marcus Arrowsmith spoke for the motion. Denise Kohlman spoke against the motion. Laura Ffrost sought a point of clarification. Lynda Brown exercised her right of reply.
CARRIED
13. Moved: Christine Walker Peninsula Health Frankston Campus Seconded: Marcus Arrowsmith Peninsula Health Frankston Campus
That this conference request an alteration to annual leave 57.1 (b) to read: a weekend worker is entitled to a further 38 hours paid annual leave for each year of service. For the purposes of this
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 28 clause 57 "weekend worker" is a full time employee required to work ordinary hours including rostered on call on weekdays and weekends throughout the year of service, save that an employee required to work ordinary hours on weekdays and weekends for part of the year of service will accrue the additional leave under this clause at the rate of half a day for each month so worked to a maximum of 38 hours.
Christine Walker spoke to the motion. Adrian Spinelli raised a point of clarification. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion. Damien Hurrell proposed an amendment to remove the words “full time” which was agreed to.
The motion as amended:
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST AN ALTERATION TO ANNUAL LEAVE 57.1 (B) TO READ: A WEEKEND WORKER IS ENTITLED TO A FURTHER 38 HOURS PAID ANNUAL LEAVE FOR EACH YEAR OF SERVICE. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS CLAUSE 57 "WEEKEND WORKER" IS AN EMPLOYEE REQUIRED TO WORK ORDINARY HOURS INCLUDING ROSTERED ON CALL ON WEEKDAYS AND WEEKENDS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF SERVICE, SAVE THAT AN EMPLOYEE REQUIRED TO WORK ORDINARY HOURS ON WEEKDAYS AND WEEKENDS FOR PART OF THE YEAR OF SERVICE WILL ACCRUE THE ADDITIONAL LEAVE UNDER THIS CLAUSE AT THE RATE OF HALF A DAY FOR EACH MONTH SO WORKED TO A MAXIMUM OF 38 HOURS.
CARRIED
14. Moved: Jacqueline Kriz Barwon Health Aged Mental Health Services Seconded: Nicole Pupavac Barwon Health Mental Health Services Swanston Centre
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT ANMF (VIC BRANCH) CONTINUE TO VIGOROUSLY OPPOSE THE REPLACEMENT OF NURSING POSITIONS WITH OTHER WORKERS/ALLIED HEALTH AS THE ONGOING DISREGARD FOR THE UNIQUE SKILL-SET OF OUR PROFESSION ROBS THE COMMUNITY OF ACCESS TO NURSING CARE AND SEEMS TO BE A SHORT-SIGHTED ECONOMIC DECISION.
Jacqueline Kriz spoke to the motion Nicole Pupavac spoke to the motion CARRIED
15. Moved: Phoebe Brick Royal Women’s Hospital Seconded: Angela Morris Royal Women’s Hospital
That this conference request ANMF (Vic Branch) to work towards the following: 1) increasing paid parental leave from 10 to 24 weeks 2) a significant increase in the night duty penalty rate 3) paid elders leave of up to 10 days annually.
Phoebe Brick spoke to the motion. Patricia Grant spoke to the motion.
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 29
Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion and it was agreed to amend Part 1 of the motion to read “increasing paid primary carer leave from 10 to 24 weeks and increase for non-primary carer”.
Sharmaine Das-Tong spoke against the motion. Natalie Davies raised a point of clarification. Damien Hurrell spoke against the motion.
It was determined that each point of the motion would be voted on separately.
1) INCREASING PAID PRIMARY CARER LEAVE FROM 10 TO 24 WEEKS AND INCREASE FOR NON- PRIMARY CARER
CARRIED 2) A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NIGHT DUTY PENALTY RATE
CARRIED 3) paid elders leave of up to 10 days annually
Allington Gono spoke to the motion. Glen Hancock raised a point of clarification. The Secretary spoke to the motion. Andrew Morgan spoke against the motion. Caroline Porobic spoke for the motion. Verna Goulton raised a point of clarification. Roxane Ingleton raised a point of clarification. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion and it was agreed to amend the motion to read
3) SEPARATE PAID LEAVE OF UP TO 10 DAYS ANNUALLY TO CARE FOR PARENTS.
Phoebe Brick spoke to the motion. CARRED
The resolution in its entirety now reads: THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT ANMF (VIC BRANCH) WORK TOWARDS THE FOLLOWING: 1) INCREASING PAID PRIMARY CARER LEAVE FROM 10 TO 24 WEEKS AND INCREASE FOR NON- PRIMARY CARER 2) A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NIGHT DUTY PENALTY RATE 3) SEPARATE PAID LEAVE OF UP TO 10 DAYS ANNUALLY TO CARE FOR PARENTS.
CARRIED
16. Moved: Christina Morgan Peninsula Health Seconded: Luisa Waterhouse Peninsula Health
That this conference requests that ANMF (Vic Branch) negotiate that where a nurse dies while employed that sick leave accrual be paid within one week to the deceased nurses’ family as a lump sum to help the family defray final medical expenses and funeral costs.
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Chris Morgan spoke to the motion Damien Hurrell suggested an amendment to change the words ‘sick leave’ to ‘personal leave’. This was agreed to and the motion, as amended
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT ANMF (VIC BRANCH) NEGOTIATE THAT WHERE A NURSE DIES WHILE EMPLOYED THAT PERSONAL LEAVE ACCRUAL BE PAID WITHIN ONE WEEK TO THE DECEASED NURSES’ FAMILY AS A LUMP SUM TO HELP THE FAMILY DEFRAY FINAL MEDICAL EXPENSES AND FUNERAL COSTS.
CARRIED
17. Moved: Barbara Bell Peninsula Health Seconded: Michelle Porter Peninsula Health
That this conference request ANMF (Vic Branch) negotiate that 8-8-10 rosters apply to all nurses in the public sector, full-time or part-time, unless by individual negotiation between the NUM and staff member.
Barbara Bell spoke to the motion. The Secretary spoke to the motion. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert suggested an amendment to the motion and it was agreed to add the words “at the initiative of the employee”. Jennifer Hurrell spoke against the motion. Valerie Thompson spoke for the motion.
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST ANMF (VIC BRANCH) NEGOTIATE THAT 8-8-10 ROSTERS APPLY TO ALL NURSES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME, UNLESS BY INDIVIDUAL NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THE NUM AND STAFF MEMBER, AT THE INITIATIVE OF THE EMPLOYEE.
CARRIED
18. Moved: Barbara Bell Frankston Hospital Seconded: Jenny Jones Frankston Hospital
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST ANMF (VIC BRANCH) TO NEGOTIATE THE REMOVAL OF ALL 6 HOUR (SHORT) SHIFTS FROM ALL PUBLIC HOSPITAL WARDS AND DEPARTMENTS TO ALLOW FOR EVER INCREASING PATIENT TURNOVER AND ACUITY AND TO ENSURE OPTIMAL PATIENT CARE. Barbara Bell spoke to the motion. Jenny Jones spoke to the motion. Lara Jeffery spoke against the motion. CARRIED
19. Moved: Cecilia Webster The Mornington Centre Seconded: Shirley Fleming Frankston Hospital
That this conference requests that ANMF (Vic Branch) negotiates that nurse/midwife graduates be rostered as supernumerary for the first 5 days of a rotation to work alongside an experienced RN mentor. Further, that there be three appointed RN graduate mentors so that the new graduate is
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 31 assured of an experienced RN to guide the graduate in the intricacies of a particular department or specialty.
Cecilia Webster spoke to the motion. Donna Coombes suggested an amendment to change RN to RN/RM. This was agreed to and the motion as amended:
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUESTS THAT ANMF (VIC BRANCH) NEGOTIATES THAT NURSE/MIDWIFE GRADUATES BE ROSTERED AS SUPERNUMERARY FOR THE FIRST 5 DAYS OF A ROTATION TO WORK ALONGSIDE AN EXPERIENCED RN/RM MENTOR. FURTHER, THAT THERE BE THREE APPOINTED RN/RM GRADUATE MENTORS SO THAT THE NEW GRADUATE IS ASSURED OF AN EXPERIENCED RN/RM TO GUIDE THE GRADUATE IN THE INTRICACIES OF A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT OR SPECIALTY.
CARRIED
20. Moved: Elizabeth Barton Golf Links Road Seconded: Shirley Fleming Frankston Hospital
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT ANMF (VIC BRANCH) CONSIDER STRENGTHENING THE SAFE PATIENT CARE ACT BY INTRODUCING A FORMAL APPEAL PROCESS IN THE EVENT THAT A NUM OR CLINICAL NURSE IN CHARGE OF A SHIFT REFUSES TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL NURSE OR MIDWIFE THAT ARE NEEDED FOR SAFE PATIENT CARE.
Elizabeth Barton spoke to the motion CARRIED
21. Moved: Roxane Ingleton Royal Women’s Hospital Seconded: Shelley Taylor Royal Women’s Hospital
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT THE ANMF (VIC BRANCH) CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS THE RECOGNITION OF UNWELL NEONATES IN PATIENT RATIOS ON POSTNATAL WARDS WHEREBY BABIES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE CARED FOR IN SCN (PREMATURE/RECEIVING IV ANTIBIOTICS/PHOTOTHERAPY), SHOULD BE RECOGNISED AS PART OF A MIDWIFE'S PATIENT RATIO.
Roxanne Ingleton spoke to the motion. The Secretary and Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion.
CARRIED
22. Moved: Roxane Ingleton Royal Women’s Hospital Seconded: Shelley Taylor Royal Women’s Hospital
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THAT THE INDUSTRY OH&S WORKING GROUP, AS PART OF ITS ROSTERING WORK, INCLUDE A MINIMUM SAFE INTERVAL BETWEEN NIGHT DUTY ROTATIONS.
Roxanne Ingleton spoke to the motion. The Secretary spoke to the motion.
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Rachel Thom raised a point of clarification. Anita Stirling raised a point of clarification. Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion. Samantha Breguet spoke against the motion. The Secretary spoke the to motion. CARRIED
23. Moved: Heather Selkrig John Fawkner Private Hospital Seconded: Stephanie Putker John Fawkner Private Hospital
To mitigate nursing staff fatigue we move: “that the minimum break between rostered shifts be increased from the current 8 hours, and the ANMF work to achieve this.
Heather Selkrig spoke to the motion Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion The Secretary spoke to the motion Damien Hurrell spoke against the motion Catherine Normoyle spoke to the motion. The Secretary suggested an amendment and it was agreed to amend the motion to read:
THAT IN ORDER TO MITIGATE NURSING STAFF FATIGUE, THE MINIMUM BREAK BETWEEN ROSTERED SHIFTS BE INCREASED FROM THE CURRENT 8 HOURS, AND THE ANMF WORK TO ACHIEVE THIS FOR HEALTHSCOPE EMPLOYEES.
CARRIED
24. Moved: Lorraine Sinclair Kerang District Health Seconded: Megan Heffer Kerang District Health
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST THE INTRODUCTION OF AN 8-8-10 ROSTER AT KERANG DISTRICT HEALTH.
Lorri Sinclair spoke to the motion. CARRIED
25. Moved: Zeta Henderson Barwon Health Seconded: Leanne Hallworth Barwon Health
THAT THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST ANMF (VIC BRANCH) PROVIDE CLARIFICATION IN RELATION TO CLAUSE 27 OF THE CURRENT EBA.
Zeta Henderson spoke to the motion. Lisa Fitzpatrick spoke to the motion. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion. Assistant Secretary Pip spoke to the motion. CARRIED
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26. Moved: Damien Hurrell Bendigo Health Seconded: David Scicluna Bendigo Health District Nursing Services
THIS CONFERENCE REQUEST ANMF (VIC BRANCH) TO WORK TOWARDS INCLUDING CLAUSES IN AGREEMENTS THAT:
A) ENSURE THAT WEEKEND AND PUBLIC HOLIDAY PENALTY RATES ARE PAID FOR THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF ANY SHIFT THAT INCLUDES HOURS ON A WEEKEND OR PUBLIC HOLIDAY. B) ENSURE PAYMENT OF OVERTIME PENALTIES BECOME ADDITIONAL TO, NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR, THE PAYMENT OF OTHER PENALTIES. C) INCREASE THE WORKED PUBLIC HOLIDAY PENALTY RATE
Damien Hurrell spoke to the motion and noted an amendment to the motion
CARRIED
27. Moved: Damien Hurrell Bendigo Health Seconded: Margaret Credlin Bendigo Health
THAT THIS CONFERENCE THANK ANMF (VIC BRANCH) AND ITS STAFF FOR ITS OUTSTANDING EFFORTS IN SECURING, AND ONGOING WORK TOWARDS FULLY IMPLEMENTING, THE NURSES AND MIDWIVES (VICTORIAN PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR) (SINGLE INTEREST EMPLOYERS) ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2016-2020 AND FURTHER CALL UPON ANMF (VIC BRANCH) TO ENSURE THAT THROUGH THE WORKPLACE IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEES, THE AGREEMENT IS FULLY IMPLEMENTED INCLUDING CLAUSE 26.4 WHICH RELATES TO SIGNIFICANT UNDERPAYMENTS BY EMPLOYERS TO BE RECONCILED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF NOTIFICATION.
Damien Hurrell spoke to the motion. Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert spoke to the motion. CARRIED
Resolution from the floor
Moved: Dave Corstorphan McKellar Centre Seconded: Zeta Henderson Barwon Health
THAT THIS CONFERENCE CONDEMN THE INSENSITIVE AND DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIOUR EXHIBITED BY SAM NEWMAN AFL FOOTY SHOW PANELIST IN RELATION TO THE LGBTIQ COMMUNITY AND THAT THE ANMF SEND A STRONG MESSAGE OF CONDEMNATION TO THE AFL FOOTYSHOW AND CHANNEL NINE FOR ALLOWING ABHORRENT BEHAVIOUR BELITTLING THE TRANS COMMUNITY ON THE SHOW WEDNESDAY NIGHT 21 JUNE 2017.
Dave Corstorphan spoke for the motion. CARRIED
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DAY 1 – THURSDAY 22 JUNE 2017
THE ROYAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL GENDER SERVICE Ms Donna Eade, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Gender Service, RCH
Donna Eade noted that the Royal Children’s Hospital was the only multidisciplinary gender service for children and adolescents in Australia and her position was the only Clinical Nurse Consultancy role of its type. The aim was to reduce the impact of gender dysphoria in children and adolescents.
Over the last 10 years there had been rapid social change with increasing community visibility and acceptance of transgender and gender diverse identities in Australia and across the Western world. Almost half the referrals of transgender children and adolescents came from rural and regional communities in Victoria.
Donna Eade explained that with someone who identified as being transgender or gender diverse, the sex they were born with didn’t match the gender that they identified as being. This mismatch was highly distressing and was described as being gender dysphoria.
Those young people had very high rates of anxiety, depression, self harm and even suicide. An on line survey of people aged between 14 and 25 revealed over half reported abuse, harassment and discrimination and 70% reported having self harmed and 61% reported thoughts of suicide.
The average age of presentation at the Royal Children’s Gender Service was 12 years and 3 months which correlated with the onset of puberty. Of the patients referred to the service, many reported gender concerns from when they were 3 or 4 years of age.
There had been a huge surge in referrals which had increased from 8 in 2011 to over 220 in 2016. Due to the demand for these services, the wait time had increased to 14 months but patients and families required face to face information much earlier. To achieve this, Donna Eade developed a single session nurse led clinic which was a 90 minute face to face session. This has reduced the wait time from 14 months to 4 months with an effective triage program being implemented.
The RCH adheres to the World Professional Association of Transgender Health guidelines. Stages of interprevention provided by the service were based on those guidelines and their criteria.
Stage 1 – pathway for puberty which was a reversible medical intervention to halt puberty. Stage 2 – pathway for cross hormones. Partially reversible medical intervention. This could not be commenced without legal approval from the Family Court in Australia for people under 18. Stage 3 – pathway that occured in adult services which may include surgery. Not everyone who was transgender engaged in medical pathways.
Research was very scarce on gender dysphoria anywhere in the world and the RCH had identified gaps in literature and initiated research programs in those areas. The goal of the RCH was to improve understanding transgender and gender diverse young people.
A number of questions were asked from the floor.
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THE SECRET SELF Ms JoAnna Ferrari
JoAnna Ferrari transitioned at 53 years of age and had been in transition for four years. She explained it was the most powerful experience in her life and she knew she was female from kindergarten age.
In her former life JoAnna Ferrari was a professional male model, a CEO and executive, an author and international speaker. At that point, she never intended to transition. Prior to transition, she Interviewed over 200 transgender men and women to find out what they were going through.
JoAnna Ferrari said that when she did eventually transition in 2013, she lost her family support, friends, business partners and business. She had gone from being a millionaire to having nothing in the bank and even considered suicide. JoAnna Ferrari stressed the importance of a holistic approach to transitioning rather than just focusing on genitalia. She learnt she only wanted love and acceptance and realised the only way to get it was to give it. Her advice was to love yourself, believe in yourself, accept yourself and trust yourself.
JoAnna Ferrari is now a published author again having published a book called “Confidence – how we lose it and where to find it again” and was back doing public speaking and executive coaching. JoAnna Ferrari took questions from the floor.
FIRST STATE SUPER Melissa Bodycoat – Strategic Partnerships Manager
Melissa Bodycoat commenced her address by advising that First State Super had over 760,000 members Australia-wide with a large proportion being women working in health, education, the public service and other professions that care for members of the community. She advised that First State Super recognised the challenges women faced in terms of savings and retirement, noting that Australian women had significantly less superannuation than men and offered the following advice:
1. Check your super balance. It was important to know what you have. 2. Consolidate all your super. 3. Run the numbers. There was a 60 second on line tool to do a financial health check 4. Put extra money into your super, there were no minimums 5. Address the issue of your beneficiaries and fill out a beneficiary form.
Melissa encouraged delegates to speak with representatives who were available at the conference from First State Super.
DONATION DRUMMOND STREET SERVICES – WORKING WITH NEW PARENTS Helen Rimington
Helen Rimmington spoke about Drummond Street Services which which was a non religious organisation that helped families who were at most risk and disadvantaged. One of the many services that Drummond Street offered was working to prevent family violence which involved working with pregnant women as well as in the first year of their baby’s life and putting a prevention process in place.
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One part of this process was working with Maternal and Child Health nurses to look at relationships that were under stress. Helen Rimmington explained that ten risk factors had been identified after working with families who were referred to Drummond Street. A workshop was developed called Ready Steady Family attended by parents to exchange ideas and work through case studies. Drummond Street had also developed an app titled “What the Family” which contained practical tips on parenting which was free to download and user friendly.
Following the address, there was a bucket collection which raised $2,936.80.
LYSANDER CONSULTING GROUP – INTRODUCTION OF JOB REP/FOCUS GROUPS Geoff Brown
Geoff Brown outlined the process that would occur during the workshops with the official purpose for the workshop being “your ideas this afternoon in conversations with each other are designed to be captured and inform the strategy making team who will be looking across all of the data that you input today to help shape strategies and part of the reasons for this is to build leadership”. Ideas will be input though texting. Delegates were divided into six groups and were provided with a code and number that they would input their ideas to via texting.
ANMF FEDERAL REPORT AND HANNAH SELLERS JOB REP OF THE YEAR AWARD Lee Thomas, Secretary and Ms Annie Butler, Assistant Secretary, Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation
Lee Thomas commenced the Federal Report noting that Mareee Burgess had stepped down as Federal Vice President and that Lori-Anne Sharp was now the Federal Vice President.
The ANMF was the largest union in Australia, with 92% of membership female. Membership had increased at a rate of 3% each year with 259,000 members across the country. Turning to nurse to patient ratios, Annie Butler noted that Victoria had set the benchmark having nurse to patient ratios legislated with other branches securing them either in EBAs or in the process of campaigning for them.
In May this year, for the 23rd consecutive year, nurses were voted the most ethical and honest profession. Also celebrated in May was International Nurses and Midwives day with the theme Nurses a Voice to Lead and Sustainable Development Goals which were the 17 goals adopted by the United Nations. These goals covered a broad range of issues such as ending poverty, hunger, combatting climate change and improving health and education with the aim to achieve these goals by 2030.
Turning to the Turnbull Government’s Federal budget, Lee Thomas and Annie Butler outlined the contents which included penalty rate cuts, freeze on Medicare rebates, increase in university fees for nurses and midwives along with lowering the threshold to $42,000 to repay fees and the cuts to funding in aged care. Lee then spoke in greater detail about the effects the cuts to aged care funding had in residential aged care, the low nurse to resident staffing levels and the need to increase those staffing levels to meet increasing demands for care.
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HANNAH SELLERS JOB REP OF THE YEAR AWARD – 2017
Lee Thomas presented the 2017 Hannah Sellers Job Representative of the Year Award to Elizabeth Barton from Peninsula Health.
HEALTH AND SAFETY REP OF THE YEAR AWARD – 2017 Presented by Luke Hilakari, Secretary Victorian Trades Hall Council
Luke Hilakari spoke about the role of the HSR and the need for nurses and midwives to work in a safe environment. He also stressed the importance of members reporting incidents of violence at the workplace to their HSR.
The 2017 HSR of the Year Award was presented to Sue Lanyon from the Melbourne Endoscopy Group.
GUEST SPEAKER
The final presentation of the day was Zuleika Khan, a nurse and actor who presented a stage show she had written titled “Triage” which was set in an emergency department.
The Chairperson declared the conference adjourned at 5.10 pm.
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DAY 2 – FRIDAY 23 JUNE 2017
The Chairperson opened Day 2 of the conference at 8.45 am and acknowledged the traditional owners of the land on which the conference was being held and paid respect to their elders past and present.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION – 3 ELEMENTS TO EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Allie Mooney
Allie Mooney spoke of the challenges of working together with both IQ and EQ explaining that EQ was the capacity to be aware of emotions and how to handle interpersonal relationships with empathy. When operating out of EQ,, occupational stress was decreased, team performance, decision making, emotional wellbeing and leadership ability was increased.
The three elements to emotional intelligence were - Understanding how we come across - Understanding why we react the way we do - Understanding the skills needed to heighten EQ
There were four different types of personalities – playful, precise, peaceful and powerful and Allie Mooney explained how these personalities react with each other, how they respond to different situations and the different ways in which they work. It was also necessary to have different personality types to be able to work together effectively. The best personality types were the ones that could operate out of their strengths.
MAKING ETHICAL CLOTHING CHOICES IN AUSTRALIA Michelle O’Neil, National Secretary, Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia Sigrid McCarthy Media and Communications Co-ordinator Ethical Clothing Australia
Michele O’Neil commenced her address by expressing her appreciation and acknowledging the support ANMF had provided to the TCFUA, particularly in relation to the Ansell dispute where over 200 workers had been sacked.
She referred to the collapse of a clothing factory in Bangladesh when 1,134 workers had lost their lives which changed the global clothing industry. There was also the development of a global business model in the industry which searched the world for the cheapest places to make clothes where workers were underpaid, lives put at risk and penalised for involving unions. This was not only a global problem but a local problem as well.
Here in Australia at the end of the chain, people were working from home and children were also involved in this work. These were called invisible sweatshops. The TCFUA are working to deal with the complex web of supply chains and to hold the companies at the top to account as well as to put in place a range of things to change the life of these workers.
The TCFUA has now won the right to have transparency included in their awards and legislation which means every company in Australia has a legal obligation to reveal where all the clothing to be made is going.
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Sigrid McCarthy from Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) explained that they were an accreditation body that was working towards a more sustainable garment industry that valued ethical business practices. Their program protects the workers who are often from migrant backgrounds and unaware of their rights as Australian workers and their mission was to ensure they receive their legal entitlements and to work in a safe environment. The ECA program is run by the TCFUA alongside industry bodies and fashion brands with the aim to create an industry standard. Ethical Clothing Australia offers training, educates companies and advises them on the benefits of doing things locally. They also focus on raising awareness amongst consumers. Currently there were 90 brands that were accredited with Ethical Clothing Australia.
STATE ADDRESS VIA VIDEO The Hon Hill Hennessy MP, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services
The Minister was unable to attend due to her attendance at Parliament and had recorded her address.
The Minister commenced by outlining some of the policy reforms she was working on both with ANMF and at a Government level. Safer Care Victoria had been established to drive good quality and safety across the health system. Clinical networks had been established that focused on making sure that when standards were set, they were set around quality and safety as well as in conjunction and collaboration with the workforce. The Minister was looking forward to the continued involvement of nurses with the ongoing reform around clinical safety.
In relation to occupational violence and aggression, the Minister said the ANMF had been at the forefront, standing up for quality and safety and decent treatment of the workforce. Together with ANMF, the Government was working on implementing the ANMF ten point plan and the ongoing review around code grey for greater consistency in responses across the system. The Government had made a $40 million commitment towards improving occupational violence to protect the workforce against the aggression they were being subjected to and to have confidence that when reporting, action would be taken. Commercials had been launched to remind the community that healthcare workers were the modern day heroes of the time and should not be treated violently and aggressively. The Minister assured delegates they would keep on working with the ANMF to address these issues and to ensure nurses across the state, whether it be rural or metropolitan, would be walking into a safe workplace.
The Government had made a priority on family violence and how they could better utilise the health system to support victims of family violence. The Minister acknowledged that nurses and midwives experienced family violence as well and in this year’s budget, a $1.9 billion investment had been made. The Government understood that one of the greatest drivers of family violence was gender inequality. The Government was also making large investments around training the healthcare workforce for them to respond better to people who had experienced family violence, using important platforms like maternal and child health nurses. Recently the Government had committed to $81million to expand the services that MCH networks were able to provide, particularly for vulnerable families and to continue to make the right investments. Family violence leave had been included in the recent EB which was a very important achievement.
Great victories had been achieved by working together to solve important issues and problems in the health care system such as staffing levels at Mildura or challenging or potential cutbacks in the services that nurses and midwives were receiving through the nurses and midwives health program in Victoria. The Victorian Government was able to step in and contribute $600,000 to ensure that
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 40 nurses and midwives continued to receive face to face counselling around issues and support they might need.
One of the battles of being the Health Minister was to ensure effective advocacy for greater investment in the right places in the health system as demand continued to grow. A $50 million down payment had been made to rebuild Footscray Hospital, save HARP funding in the community health space and the RDNS space that would have disappeared.
The Minister was also the Chair of the National Health Ministers Council for all health ministers in Australia. This was a great forum and platform to raise the issues that the ANMF was raising with her.
The Minister referred to the challenging public debate that would shortly commence on the topic of voluntary assisted dying. A cross party political enquiry spent over a year and a half looking at models both in Europe and the united states. A series of recommendations was produced based on the model used in Oregan in the United States that had been working effectively for 20 years. During that process, evidence was given by Coroner John Ollie that in Victoria once a week, a person who was terminally ill took their life because they had no other legal choice around assisted dying. A Parliamentary committee was then established consisting of a panel of clinicians, nurses, the palliative care sector and disability sector who were working through the many challenges. A bill would be drafted to put before the Parliament which would be a conscience vote and voted on according to the view of members of Parliament.
The Minister concluded by saying she valued her relationship with the ANMF and valued working with nurses and midwives to hear first hand what their experiences were. Her relationship with the ANMF was an extraordinary and very respectful one, which included working on the nurse to patient legislation and making sure the right sorts of investments were made to better protect the health, safety and well being of nurses and midwives. The Minister assured delegates she would continue to work with the ANMF and thanked delegates for the work they do each and every day. If delegates had any questions to ask of the Minister, they could email the Secretary at ANMF.
VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING AND PALLIATIVE CARE – A CLINICAL DILEMMA Professor Margaret O’Connor, Emeritus Professor, Monash University
Professor O’Connor commenced by advising that Parliament had established a Committee on end of life choices. A very extensive report was produced last year which included public hearings, consultations and overseas jurisdictions visited where voluntary assisted dying legislation had occurred. The committee came up with 49 recommendations, 29 were related to the development and further funding of community based palliative care, 18 about advanced care planning and one about instituting legislation for voluntary assisted dying. Emphasis was around making end of life care better, not necessarily around voluntary assisted death.
In early 2017 the administerial advisory panel was established. The panel undertook extensive consultation including meeting with stakeholders and receiving input from nurses at a meeting organised by the ANMF where nurses were invited to speak with the panel. The legislation would be ready to go to parliament in the second half of the year.
The panel was given the framework around the legislation recommended by the Parliamentary Committee and the panel was required to work with was then given to them to give policy advice on how to draft the legislation and advise on how the legislation would be implemented and supported.
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There were seven members on the panel who represented areas such as palliative care, legal areas, the community and disability services with Professor O’Connor being the nursing representative. The legislation was very much focused on medical roles and doctor led if there was any assistance. The panel recognised that there were many parts to be played by nurses and allied health carers and family members.
The framework consisted of three parts, the eligibility, the assessment, and the oversite. Professor O’Connor went through each of those parts in more detail.
Importantly there was allowance in the legislation for conscientious objection by individuals and organisations would also need to make decisions about their involvement in this legislation as well as institutional guidelines and guidelines for supporting staff.
While there had been many advances in medicine, many illnesses and diseases were incurable and of the 39,000 deaths in Victoria, two thirds were from chronic illness.
The intention of the legislation was that it be part of health care services. The legislation respects individual clinical partnering with each person to meet the range of challenges they might have in their end of life care and to support existing clinical doctor / patient and palliative care relationships. Palliative care was working to capacity and needed more funding if the legislation were to be passed. Experienced clinicians were required to ascertain the care needs of their patients and understand whatever their end of life care wishes and plans were.
There were a number of questions from the floor.
HESTA Nick Duffy, Client Relationship Manager
Coming to the end of the financial year and with superannuation changes to be expected from 1 July, Nick Duffy went through what Hesta would be doing in the coming year. They represented 820,000 people in health and community services and were looking for adequacy and inadequacy in the super regulation and how it might benefit members. Hesta had developed a financial inclusion action plan which aimed to achieve ways to remove inequalities that members might be facing in their day to day activities. Being financially included was a way of achieving dignity in retirement. Information on this could be found at the Hesta stand.
Nick Duffy spoke about another initiative Hesta was working on to drive changes in superannuation regulation. Currently, superannuation was for retirement however members may need to access some of their finances before retirement. Hesta was seeking to change the law to allow members to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation in the event they may be a victim of domestic violence.
APPROACHES TO EMBEDDING CULTURAL SAFETY IN INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANISATIONAL PRACTICE Ben Gorrie, Deputy Chair and Victorian Board Member of CATSINaM and Kathleen Stacey Managing Director, Beyond and Kathleen Stacey and Associates
Ben Gorrie, Board Member of CATSINaM explained they were the national peak professional body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives established in 1998. It was a member based organisation with around 900 members of all nursing disciplines. CATSINaM offer a wide
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 42 range of things in the nursing and midwifery space including the availability of culturally safe health systems so people can experience better health outcomes. It was also important that non indigenous nurses and midwives had a good understanding of what cultural safety was. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were more likely to seek healthcare if services were respectful and culturally safe.
CATSINaM had developed a number of policy position statements, most recently, Embedding Cultural Safety Across Nursing and Midwifery. They also held summits, workshops with key stakeholders, education for members and had adapted the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander framework health curriculum for nursing and midwifery with a core focus on cultural safety.
Kathleen Stacey spoke about reflective practice, the understanding of cultural safety and the difference between cultural safety and cultural awareness.
She explained that cultural safety was very direct which meant talking about racism, recognising and understanding racism and having the capacity to respond. This program is delivered in a partnership between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people and not specific to country and could occur in any location. Cultural awareness training is usually delivered by traditional custodians of countries on which an organisation is operating.
CATSINaM values and respects cultural awareness training and wants people to be aware of what the difference is. The focus is about raising the knowledge of participants who are non-aboriginal, about the experiences of cultures that are different from their own. What is talked about is individual acts of racism, racial prejudice and racial discrimination.
A clear distinction in cultural awareness training was learning about people other than themselves and not so much about critical self reflection. Cultural safety training was when participating in the training, the focus was aimed at the participant as a non-aboriginal person.
One of the necessary roles with being non-aboriginal was to acknowledge that racism exists, identify, address and dismantle racism. Kathleen Stacey expressed appreciation that ANMF had invited CATSINaM to speak about this matter.
PATHWAYS TO CHANGE: A STRATEGY AND RESOURCE GUIDE TO FAMILY VIOLENCE Elizabeth Becker, Associate and Danae Lekakis, Layer, Ryan Carlisle Thomas Lawyers
Ryan Carlisle Thomas lawyer Elizabeth Becker commenced her address explaining that RCT has an industrial law background and a long history of working with unions such as the ANMF and its members. RCT responds to the legal needs of their clients in all aspects of law and in more recent times, has become Australia’s premier leading firm in representing survivors of sexual and institutional abuse.
Speaking about their work in the family and relationships law department, specifically family violence, Elizabeth Becker spoke about who it affects. Family violence was an issue that everyone needs to tackle together and as lawyers, they face these crimes on a daily basis. For nurses and midwives, family violence impacts on the way they care for their patients. A book has been written entitled Pathways to Change, a Family Violence Strategy and Resource Guide, the aim of which was to assist nurses and midwives on both a professional and personal level when dealing with family violence incidents.
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Danae Lekakis explained that family violence does not discriminate, it can affect people from all backgrounds and all walks of life and can be perpetrated by any family member but is more likely to be perpetrated by men against women and children. Statistics revealed that one in three women had experienced family violence. One woman a week was murdered by their partner or former partner.
Elizabeth Becker highlighted a true case study of a person named Mary who was a professional working in the health sector aged in her thirties. She explained the process that takes place when a family violence victim is referred to them along with advice on all legal avenues and support available. Turning to the Pathways to Change e-book, Danae Lekakis explained how it could be accessed and what the document covered as well as demonstrating how the e-book could work in the case study of Mary.
NURSES & MIDWIVES HEALTH FUND Sarah Kupsch
Sarah Kupsch introduced the new Nurses and Midwives Health Fund which had been set up exclusively for nurses and midwives and their families. It was launched earlier this year as an industry based health fund available only to ANMF members and their families and not to the general public. The Nurses and Midwives Health Fund (NMH) was focused on providing relevant and affordable healthcover at every life stage and as a not for profit organisation, do not pay dividends to shareholders ensuring than any surplus generated can be reinvested into the fund to benefit members. NMH believed that nurses and midwives should have access to the best available health cover at the best possible price allowing members to take care of their health and wellbeing and that of their families.
HSR OF THE YEAR 2015 – OH&S INITIATIVES FOR HOME VISITING SERVICES Sean Mathews
Sean Matthews, HSR from Eastern Hospital in the Home spoke about the initiatives achieved by his designated work group. Their service provides oncology and in reach home visits that carry out around 100 visits per day. Those visits covered metropolitan, mountain and bushland catchment area which was difficult terrain to cover.
Due to an amalgamation, three different campuses had combined into one service which had to operate out of very small premises which did not work. Sean was elected to the position of HSR which meant management had to consult with him. After meeting with the designated work group, they came up with a list of problems and solutions which were then presented to management. Major changes implemented included occupying the building next door which was a temporary measure, management agreeing to fund a new building as well as renovating the existing clinic. A number of other steps were implemented.
Sean stressed that if you work in an unfit workplace, don’t accept it is the right place to work in. Sean gave an example of a situation where the oncology team were working in a dismountable and the unsafe working conditions. As a result of help from the ANMF, Worksafe and the Victorian Trades Hall Council, Oncology was relocated to a facility within the new Box Hill Hospital.
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 44
COURAGE TO BE KIND Anne Carey, Registered Nurse, Health Department, Western Australia
Anne Carey spoke about the formation of the Red Cross in 1827 and their involvement in the recent ebola crisis in Sierra Leone. That particular ebola outbreak was much larger than all the previous 20 outbreaks together. It was occurring in an area where the health workforce was depleted by the recent war and now ebola was killing many of the local health workers which made the situation even less manageable. MSF doctors without borders found the task was beyond its resources.
Red Cross psychologically screened the volunteers and trained them in the use of PPE, personal protective equipment, the space suit of the ebola worker which made treating ebola patients vastly safer. 500,000 suits were donated from Estonia.
Her experience in Sierra Leone was both a very positive one working with aid workers from Sierra Leone as well as aid workers from around the world. At the same time it was stressful and sad. It was predicted that millions of lives could be lost. In the first few months of the outbreak, the death rate was 80% with many who were admitted for treatment, dying alone. Many patients presented late which gave them very little chance of survival. Anne Carey spoke of one particular incident where she cared for a patient who had lost her husband and all seven of her children to ebola.
There were survivors. On discharge they received new uncontaminated clothes, money, food and transport home to their families. They were given a certificate that said they were free of ebola which overcame community fears that they would be a risk to others. One of the things they received before discharge was a handshake which symbolised so much as they had not had human contact for a long period of time and were free of the virus and could touch other people again.
For those that did not survive, safe burial became paramount. When people died, it was the most contagious stage of the disease as the virus had multiplied to huge numbers by the time of death. The virus could remain on the corpse for up to four days which meant that families could not carry out their normal burial practices.
The image of ebola in the western world was that of the PPE space outfit, the spacesuit appearance of the outfit was what the image of ebola around the world became. PPE made treating ebola patients safe and with the use of PPE the transmission of ebola to health care workers dropped dramatically. However the wearing of these suits was uncomfortable and hard to do procedures. The suits could only be worn for periods of up to 40 minutes.
The world needed to learn from this outbreak. The initial response was slow. The world recognised that this was a very nasty disease and would probably take millions of lives and the communities that did respond in a timely manner, proved to be successful. Red Cross was a significant part of the response and showed that the combination of knowledge, humanity and courage and rejection of pure self interest could make a difference. Anne Carey believed that the founder of the Red Cross would be proud of what the organisation achieved. The courage to be kind would have conquered the outbreak much earlier and would have made it much simpler.
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017 45
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NATIONAL DELEGATES
Following a ballot process which had taken place over the duration of the conference, the Chairperson announced the names of those elected as delegates to the Biennial National Conference:
Elizabeth Barton (Golf Links Road), Donna Coombes (Albury Wodonga Health), Natalie Davies (Austin Hospital), Allington Gono – emergency delegate (Footscray Hospital), Elisabeth Hall (RDNS Northern Melbourne Metropolitan Hub), Fiona Herman (Bass Coast Health), Melinda Hopkins (Angliss Hospital), Damien Hurrell (Bendigo Hospital), Lara Jeffery (University Hospital Geelong), Marine Keitley – emergency delegate (Healesville and District Health), Erin Klose (South West Healthcare), Jacqueline Kriz (Barwon Health), Peter Lee (Northeast Health Wangaratta), Kirsty Mitchell (South West Healthcare), Rita Moreno-Diaz (Royal Children’s Hospital), Hollie Purton (Tatura Hospital), Yvonne Reid (Williamstown Hospital), Christine Scanlan (Albury Wodonga Health), Therese Smyth (Central Gippsland Health Service), Adrian Spinelli (Austin Hospital), Russell Stewart (St Vincent’s Mental Health Service), Anita Stirling (Echuca Regional Health), Simone Ward (Sunshine Hospital), Pauline Wheeler (Colac Area Health).
CLOSE
The Chairperson thanked delegates for their participation, the ANMF staff, in particular the Events team for all their hard work along with the Secretary, Paul Gilbert and Pip Carew for their guidance, clarification and advice.
The Secretary thanked delegates for their participation in the focus groups which would be very important work in relation to Job Reps and HSR reps into the future. The Secretary also thanked the Chairperson Maree Burgess for chairing the delegates conference keeping everyone on track and on time.
The conference closed at 4.20pm.
Minutes of 25th Annual Delegates Conference June 2017