Professional Pharmacists Australia (PPA) union members were scheduled to commence industrial action on Friday 22nd August, but the action was temporarily paused due to a last-minute application made by the Northern Territory Government seeking to stop the action through the Fair Work Commission. Union members will now commence industrial action today Tuesday 26th August.
PPA Executive Officer, Jessica Hensman, said "it's very disappointing that the Northern Territory Government is choosing to spend its time and money on legal proceedings instead of addressing dangerously understaffed hospital pharmacy departments. We need vacancies filled and that means attraction and retention incentives that members proposed 12 months ago."
Staffing levels have now reached crisis point, with Alice Springs Hospital pharmacy running a 50% vacancy rate, Royal Darwin Hospital and Palmerston Regional Hospital 30% vacancy rate and Katherine Hospital's pharmacy department at a 100% vacancy.
"Members have been left with no other option but to take protected industrial action. Despite the NT Government using dirty tactics to stop them like cutting their pay by a massive 25% each day for participating, even while they continue to work full shifts, they are pushing ahead to fight for their patients and the future of pharmacy services in the NT."
"Our members have been raising the alarm for over a year. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are burning out, services are unable to be provided, and patients' safety is on the line every single day. Our members have worked tirelessly to keep services running, but they're exhausted".
"If staffing vacancies aren't immediately addressed at Katherine Hospital, cancer services will be closed meaning patients will need to drive to Darwin for treatment and Darwin doesn't have the staffing levels to take this on either".
"This is about survival of the pharmacy workforce and ensuring that patients' receive safe and appropriate care across the NT. Without change, services will collapse. The government can end this dispute today if it chooses to," Ms Hensman said.
PPA is calling on the NT Government to urgently deliver an enterprise agreement offer with fair pay and conditions, so pharmacy departments can fill vacancies and prevent further resignations to maintain the essential services required by the community.
"NT hospitals have reached a critical juncture as the understaffing problem hits tipping point."
"Our members wrote to the Health Minister in July, but he refused to meet and discuss solutions with us. Our industrial action will result in a loss of over 1 million dollars a week of federal government PBS funding flowing into the territory while maintaining patient safety.
"Our members don't want to be taking industrial action, but they cannot keep working with unsafe staffing levels while the Government looks the other way," Ms. Hensman said.
"We are urgently seeking a meeting with the NT Government Chief Minister to discuss our members' concerns in more detail and talk about solutions to ensure we can protect federal funding for the territory and protect patient safety."
