With regard to Community Nursing services on the West Coast;

1. What are the current hours of operation of Community Nursing services in each town on the West Coast;
2. What is the number of nurses employed in Community Nursing Services by headcount and FTE;
3. What is the average waiting time to be seen by a Community Nurse in each West Coast town;
4. What are the numbers of vacancies in this area; and if any
a. What measures or recruiting efforts are being undertaken to address any of these vacant positions?

ANSWER:

1. Community Health Nursing Service (CHNS) West Coast is currently operational from Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm. This service covers all areas of the West Coast. Community Health Nursing can also be provided on weekends based on clinical needs of patients.

2. There are five Registered Nurses employed in the CHNS West Coast, occupying 2.58 FTE.

3. At present there is no waiting time for accepting new referrals and new clients are seen on or before the requested first visit date.

4. There is 5.92 FTE vacant from an establishment of 8.50 FTE for Community Nursing Services on the West Coast:
• 3.01 FTE RN vacant
• 2.91 FTE Enrolled Nurses vacant

As per question three, there is currently no waiting time for accepting new referrals and new clients are seen on or before the requested first visit date. Agency nurses are also utilised when available and required.

We know it is a highly competitive market, with all states looking to recruit more nurses and midwives. We recently launched the State’s biggest ever recruitment blitz for our health workforce, and our 2030 Plan for Tasmania’s future included a number of measures to attract more nurses to Tasmania.

This includes a relocation allowance of up to $15,000 for nurses and midwives who relocate to Tasmania, and remain employed full-time with the Tasmanian Health Service for three years or more, and a $10,000 scholarship for new Tasmanian graduate nurses who start with the Tasmanian Health Service and remain employed full-time for a period of three years or more.