The government’s decision to cut nurses from a successful eating disorder clinic at the Royal Hobart Hospital has been slammed as “cruel” and “unacceptable” by a union, but labelled untrue by the Department of Health.
The clinic has had a significant impact on the lives of people with eating disorders since it began operating 18 months ago, Robbie Moore from the Health and Community Services Union said.
He said the decision to use vacancy control measures to remove two nurses from the clinic showed the state government “just doesn’t care about Tasmanians’ children”.
“This is an outpatient clinic that has been operating in this way for 18 months. It has saved lives and it has delivered and meant that many children have not been admitted to hospital,” he said.
“It’s actually halved the amount of admissions of young people with eating disorders.”
“For the government to make this cruel decision to put young Tasmanians’ lives at risk is totally inappropriate and just shows that the term ‘vacancy control’ actually just means job cuts.”
He said the nurses are expected to lose their jobs come Monday.
Labor’s Shadow Health Minister Ella Haddad said the clinic has reduced hospital admissions by 50% since opening.
“It’s early intervention which is the key way to treat eating disorders,” she said.
“We know that thousands of Tasmanians have eating disorders and only a small number of those people reach out for support.”
“It’s unfathomable that in the middle of a health crisis this government is talking about cutting frontline nursing staff who are providing an incredibly successful program in treating people with eating disorders.”
But the Department of Health have rubbished the claims, saying: “There has been no reduction to permanent roles within the unit, nor will there be.”
“There has been a part-time fixed term contract for an additional nurse, which was in part to support the development of frameworks for the model of care for the service,” a spokesperson said.
“This employee will return to their substantive role in the paediatric unit.”
