1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: Well, as I mentioned a little bit earlier, it's not 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 1: just the AMA, the Australian Medical Association in the Northern 3 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Territory calling for the Northern Territory government to declare a 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 1: Code Brown alert for public hospitals. We know that nurses 5 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: are also calling. 6 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 2: Out for relief. 7 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: As we heard from Dr Parker a little bit earlier 8 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 1: this morning. It is the highest level of emergency response. 9 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: If it is triggered, it means that hospitals can redeploy 10 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: workers to areas of greatest need. It means that they 11 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: can postpone leave to boost staffing numbers and also redistribute 12 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: resources to critical patients and importantly postpone those Category two 13 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: and three elective surgeries to relieve pressure on under the 14 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: pump staff, which we know is already happening in the 15 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: Northern Territory right now. Joining me on the line to 16 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: talk more about the situation the Northern Territory Nursing and 17 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: Midwiffrey Union or Federation's Northern Territory Branch, Kath Hatcher, the Secretary, 18 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: Good morning to you. 19 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 3: Oh, good morning Katie, Kath. 20 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: I really appreciate your time. How are things going for 21 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,960 Speaker 1: you guys at the moment and for our wonderfully hard 22 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: working nurses. 23 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,960 Speaker 3: Our hard working nurses are under the pumps even more 24 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 3: than what they've ever been in their entire career. They 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 3: need help, The doctors need help. A lot of the 26 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 3: staff may be up to nearly half the staff on furlough. 27 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 3: They're either close contact or have COVID and something needs 28 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 3: to change. And whether that's to call a Code Brown 29 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 3: or not, I'm not one hundred percent sure it's the 30 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 3: right it is the right move, but something needs to happen, 31 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 3: and I'm supporting Ama with Dr Parker to call for 32 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 3: a Code Brown because whatever name you put to it, 33 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 3: our staff are really struggling and something needs to happen. 34 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 3: And I don't like to annual leave or call back 35 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 3: people from manual leave or from their long service leave, 36 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 3: but something needs to change. It needs to happen, and 37 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 3: we're going to have burnout, We're going to have more 38 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 3: more leaving nursing as a career and also probably in 39 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 3: the medical profession as well. 40 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: And Kat, I know a lot of people listening this morning, 41 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: you're probably going to be feeling quite confused because the 42 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: Chief Minister on the show on Monday had said that 43 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: you know, the COVID numbers that we're getting at the 44 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 1: moment are quite manageable. He said, there's one person in 45 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: ICU and that the numbers that are within the hospital 46 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: are manageable. But then you know, when we hear from 47 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: from staff, it really doesn't seem like it's very manageable 48 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: at the moment. 49 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 3: No, it's not manageable. There's three full COVID wards at 50 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 3: Royal Dalen Hospital. There's many in Tenant Creek and Alice, 51 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 3: bring few in Catherine and in Go. All of those areas, 52 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 3: they're all understaff. They're all overworked overtime double shifts, twelve 53 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 3: twelve hour shifts or if not eighteen hour shifts. If 54 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 3: they do a morning shift followed by a late shift, 55 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 3: or a late shift followed by a night duty shift, 56 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 3: they're exhausted. They're getting towards burnout. And that's a good 57 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 3: call that we wanted the Health Minister and the Chief 58 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 3: Minister and to stand up and pay attention that they 59 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 3: might think it's being okay, but it's not. 60 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it really doesn't sound like it is, I asked 61 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: Robert Parker, doctor Robert Parker on the show earlier this morning. 62 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: You know do we need to be calling the ADF 63 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: for some assistance here? He said, you know that that 64 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: is something that could potentially be looked at. But he 65 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,080 Speaker 1: also said, you know, we've got the National Critical Care 66 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: and Trauma Response Center here in the Northern Territory and that, 67 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: as far as he's aware, Lenda Taras and his wonderful 68 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: team haven't been called upon at this point. 69 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 2: Do they need to be cash. 70 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 3: Well, yes, normally with a code brown they would call 71 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 3: the ADF or someone similar like And we have our 72 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 3: great trauma center here in Darwin, which is fantastic. So yes, 73 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 3: I feel in the non clinical type situations that ADF 74 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 3: could be of support and to get the nurses and 75 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 3: the doctors to where they really need to be and 76 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 3: perhaps even discharging some of the patients that have COVID. 77 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 3: A world, they might be in hospital for a broken leg, 78 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 3: but they have COVID as well. They need to really 79 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 3: look at their structure and their admissions into the hospital 80 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 3: and see if they could be care for out of 81 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 3: an acute bed and cared for perhaps in Howard Springs 82 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 3: Quarantine Facility or another facility in Darwin. 83 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 1: KAT That's a really interesting one and I actually asked 84 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: the Chief Minister about this on Monday because I had 85 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 1: been told from sources within the hospital that that's a 86 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 1: very real situation at the moment, that there are people 87 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: that are being forced to obviously stay in hospital because 88 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: they have something else. As you've said, there is an example, 89 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: let's say a broken leg, but then they have COVID 90 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: but they're not actually acutely unwell, but they're needing to 91 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: stay up there and keep that bed for at least 92 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: seven days. 93 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 2: Is there a lot of that happening. 94 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 3: Cas, I believe it is happening. I don't know to 95 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 3: what extent, but you know, if we can care or 96 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 3: have these clients patients cared for or quarantine somewhere else 97 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 3: for their COVID and have an outpatient appointments and follow 98 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 3: up for their broken leg, etc. Then that should be happening. 99 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 3: They shouldn't be taking up acute bed when they are 100 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 3: well with a broken leg as a scenario, Kath. 101 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 2: What is having the biggest impact on staffing right now? 102 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,679 Speaker 1: Staff that are out due to COVID or that need 103 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: for acute COVID care within the hospitals. 104 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 3: Both plus well, there's always had vacancy rates in the 105 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 3: territory have always been high, and now it's even spread 106 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 3: less because we've got others working in the vaccine hubs, 107 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 3: the contact tracing hubs, and then you've got those that 108 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 3: are on furlough because they've either got COVID or have 109 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 3: been a close contact. So the patients are being cared for, 110 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 3: and I'm sure that the nurses would be doing their 111 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 3: utmost extreme to care form them the way they normally 112 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 3: would care for them, but they might have instead of 113 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 3: four patients to look after, they might have six or seven, 114 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 3: or even on a night duty, up to ten or more, 115 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 3: which is not sustainable. They're run off their feet and 116 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 3: they're having that day in day out. Those that are 117 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 3: working in full PPE in the COVID wards, some are 118 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 3: coming to us to say that they're not always getting 119 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 3: their te brakes and meal breaks. Some days they're not 120 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 3: getting their meal break until you know, five or six 121 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 3: hours after they've started shift. They're dehydrated. When they go home, 122 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 3: they've got headaches. This is they're not getting their relief 123 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 3: because there is no one to relieve them. So we 124 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 3: need more people on the floor to support them when 125 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 3: they're in full ppe looking after the COVID patients, but 126 00:07:55,200 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 3: not having extreme numbers more than four or five patients 127 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 3: to look after at a. 128 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: Time, Kath, you know this is something that you and 129 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: I spoke about towards the end of last year. 130 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 2: I'd said the same to Dr Parker. 131 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: You know, it does seem as though it's an issue, 132 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: particularly with that staffing that you've certainly known has been 133 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: on the horizon. 134 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 2: For some time. 135 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: Kat. You know the Health Minister, as I understand it 136 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: this morning, has said that they're not going to declare 137 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: a cold Code Brown is striking on the cards here 138 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: to try and make the government sit up and listen. 139 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 3: Well, we tried to do that, I guess Dr Parker 140 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 3: and I was announcing the Code Brown to make them 141 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 3: stand up in attention that that's not our aim at 142 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 3: the moment is not to do a strike and like 143 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 3: our counterparts have done in New South Wales yesterday morning, 144 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 3: the New South Wales in Victoria have had this COVID 145 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 3: with the delta and now the omnicon strain a lot 146 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 3: worse than we have here in the territory, although when 147 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 3: you look at the data, we've got the higher per capita. 148 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 3: But they have tried to make the New South Wales 149 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 3: government stand up and pay attention, and I guess that 150 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 3: they got to that stage where they weren't listening and 151 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 3: they thought that this would be the best option. We're 152 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 3: trying to avoid that that would be more implications with 153 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 3: leaving less nursing staff and medical staff on the floor 154 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 3: to look on care for our patients. So we don't 155 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 3: want to go down that track. But the nurses and 156 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 3: the doctors do need help, and they need help now, 157 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 3: and Victorian nurses especially, they're all burnt out and one 158 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 3: in every six nursiness in Victoria are leaving the nursing 159 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,680 Speaker 3: profess profession kas. 160 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: When we spoke to Dr Parker, he gave an example 161 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: over nigh of one doctor saying to him that he'd 162 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: hoped that he'd get COVID so that he could. 163 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 2: Have some time off. What a nurse is telling you 164 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 2: at the moment. 165 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 3: They haven't told us that, but I wouldn't be surprised 166 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 3: if that has gone through their thoughts at some stage 167 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 3: that that would be the only way that they could 168 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 3: get some downtime. Which is very sad for that to 169 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 3: be thought or said of any healthcare professional. 170 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, it is. It's such a really tough situation. 171 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: I think that our health professionals are under at the moment, 172 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: everybody that's working there at the hospital. Kat. You know, 173 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: if you could say one thing to the government really 174 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 1: right now, is it you know that we need help. 175 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 3: Yes, definitely, the healthcare workers at the hospital need help 176 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 3: and they need to hopefully discharge some patients and reduce 177 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 3: the bed capacity within the Royal Darwin that. I know 178 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 3: that they have stopped elective surgery about two weeks ago, 179 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 3: so I think that needs to continue for at least 180 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 3: another month or so. And I'm very sorry for those 181 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 3: that are waiting on the elective surgery list. I apologize 182 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 3: for that, but the nurses are really struggling. 183 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 1: Oh okas it's such a difficult situation. And like you said, 184 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: I know there'll be people listening who are really you know, 185 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: who are really worried they're on that elective surgery wait list. 186 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: But it really points to as well, you know, you 187 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: guys have been talking about this and saying you need 188 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 1: that assistance and more stuff since you know, like midway 189 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 1: through last year. 190 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 3: That's right exactly, and it's just got worse over the 191 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 3: last two months. Alice Springs Hospital especially have been coping 192 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 3: okay up until about a week before Christmas and they're 193 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 3: really struggling down in Alice Springs as well. They were 194 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 3: kind of going okay, but it's just kind of gone 195 00:11:55,960 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 3: into emergency mode in their hospital as well. And everyone 196 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 3: has come out of their offices that were educators or 197 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 3: managers or co directors that would normally not do any 198 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 3: clinical role at all. They're all doing clinical roles every day, 199 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 3: every shift. And yes, so it it's tough times. It is. 200 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 1: Kath a big thank you to all of our wonderful 201 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 1: healthcare professionals, all of our nurses, all of our doctors, 202 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: everybody working within those hospitals, also in you know, all 203 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: those healthcare areas, Allied Health, Indigenous Health. We appreciate what 204 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: you do. 205 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 3: And thank you very much. Katie and your listeners appreciate that. 206 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 2: Thank you.