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Article: Beds close despite nurses' decision to continue work

ABC (Australia),Tuesday, September 24, 2002

Beds will continue to close in the South Australian public hospital system, despite nurses rejecting industrial action yesterday.

Two Adelaide hospitals have already closed beds as the State Government moves to meet nurses' demands for reduced workloads.

At a stop-work meeting yesterday, nurses voted against taking industrial action, but the Australian Nursing Federation secretary Lee Thomas says beds must close.

"Nurses call on the State Government to continue to reduce services to match the available number of nurses."

More than 80 beds have already closed at the Royal Adelaide and Queen Elizabeth hospitals because of the lack of nurses.

Human Services Department chief executive Jim Birch says up to another 40 beds are earmarked for closure, and elective surgery will be cancelled.

"Therefore there could be a small extension in our waiting lists," he said.

Nurses and the department will meet over the next four weeks to negotiate future staffing plans aimed at reducing the stress on nurses.