Following on from member meetings and your feedback about the review document we’ve written to senior management of Statewide Mental Health.

We stated our in principle support for the report’s six recommendations but stressed your concerns about the need to address the immediate issue – staffing at Roy Fagan.

No one disagrees that we need more mental health trained nursing and allied health staff, but there is a global shortage in these fields, and you need the boots on the ground right now.

We’ve again put forward what we believe is a practical and achievable solution– increase the ward aide staff to alleviate the workload now – which will also increase your safety at work with the added benefit of making it easier to recruit the nursing and AHP staff recommended in the review.

Your delegates will be discussing options with you while we wait for a response from Mental Health executive.