In October 2021, four simple bans were put into place by HSU members in PTS to ensure PTOs, patients and the community were kept safe. Read those original bans here. Fast forward to May 2022 and the way we are living with COVID in NSW has changed significantly. On May 3, HealthShare announced their intention to move to ‘Stage 3’ of their COVID management strategy via a Teams call with staff. This presented an opportunity for members to re-examine maintaining relevant bans on pairing up of single officers and doing green jobs after red jobs.

After members voted in a survey last week, two resolutions were passed yesterday on zoom. By a majority of 94%, members have voted to lift the ban on the pairing up of single officers from different hubs, providing both have returned a negative RAT and neither has performed a red job that shift. This ban will be lifted from the first day shift Wednesday and will allow members from different hubs to work together and open potential for more overtime at a different hub.

Members voted 80% (originally 78%, but one person clicked the wrong button) in favour of maintaining the ban on doing green jobs after red. Members and delegates shared concerns about the upcoming flu season and vulnerable patients, and thus voted to keep this ban in place a little longer. This is in line with the original intention of the bans to keep the community safe.

Remaining bans in place from Wednesday 18 May

HSU members:

• Will not perform a green job after a red job
• Will not multiload patients, except for family/household units.

Congratulations to all members in PTS for voting in favour of keeping the community safe and maintaining sensible bans. The next fight will be securing this year’s pay rise. Stay tuned.