Staffing win for Pathology members at RCH
Pathology members at the Royal Children’s Hospital have successfully fought off a proposal to reduce staffing in the core lab at the Royal Women’s Hospital.
Staff and the MSAV were advised some weeks ago of a need to reduce staffing levels in the core lab at the Women’s by 5 FTEs. The RCH has been providing pathology services to the Women’s Hospital on a contract basis since the disamalgamation of the Women’s and Children’s Health Care Network in 2000.
After a process that included a Monday afternoon trip to Fair Work, job reps and members involved in the dispute were able to identify unfilled positions such that, in the end, there were no cuts in current staffing levels. One scientist will relocate to the Children’s Hospital and a new roster is being implemented in the core laboratory at the Women’s to ensure that a cost-effective quality pathology service continues to be provided to patients there.
Congratulations in particular go to the excellent work done by job reps Eileen Kelly and Craig Dickinson.