Wednesday, 17 May 2023

 Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (18:06): (227) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health. Last sitting week I called upon the government to adopt more lenient measures in relation to COVID vaccine mandates for nurses due to ongoing workforce shortages. I was amazed at the number of emails I received in response to this from nurses and medical staff who shared their stories, and as a result I will adapt my request. A constituent from Evelyn who, according to his doctor, suffered vaccine-induced myocarditis said that he was granted a six-month exemption from all COVID vaccines, expiring May 2023, but that as long as Victoria’s mandates remain in force he has no long-term prospects of employment in hospitals. Another constituent said that after suffering 15 weeks of pericarditis they were given an ongoing exemption. They said that nearly all hospital groups require mandatory vaccinations. If it were not for the fact that they work through agencies, they would also have no real choice but to leave their chosen career of 19 years. Given this feedback, I conclude that it is in fact time to drop vaccine mandates altogether. Shortages of nurses and midwives in Victoria have led to the closure of Epworth HealthCare’s maternity services in Geelong. Last year Victoria University stated that Australia’s nurses shortage had reached critical levels.

Nurses in my region have spoken to me regarding the secondary effects of staff shortages. The problem goes beyond people not being able to work in their chosen field. Secondary effects include nurses on wards being at too low a number, resulting in lower standards of care for patients and higher stress for staff. Nurse burnout is being seen at an unprecedented level. Nursing managers have said they have had to employ nurses from overseas while their former and skilled colleagues are unable to work, and nurses have been called out of retirement to fill this void. Research done by Health Workforce Australia shows that due to the ageing workforce and many other factors there could be a shortfall of more than 100,000 nurses by 2025 and 123,000 nurses by 2030. So the action I seek is that the Minister for Health ends the current COVID vaccine mandates in the healthcare sector.