Psychiatric Nurses employed by EH Mental Health Service and No 2 Branch of the HSU (HACSU) are in dispute with the EH over the failure to backfill ‘unplanned absences’ – i.e. sick leave. This leaves inpatient psychiatric wards understaffed, leading to higher OH&S risks. There has been an increase in assaults on staff.

We have been told that the CEO of Eastern Health has threatened to direct allied health staff and psychologists to do RPN work if the dispute continues.

We have advised HACSU that we support their stance, and the VPA and its members will resist any attempt to get psychologists to do RPN work – work for which psychologists are not trained.