A meeting was held with HSU officials and members on Monday 1/11/21 to discuss security related issues at John Hunter, Morisset and Wallsend. Updates relating to each site are detailed below.

John Hunter Hospital

HNE advised of a proposal to adjust the reporting lines of security staff at JHH from Facilities Management Unit to JHH site management. This adjustment will result in the Security Operations Manager position reporting to the JHH site manager through the Manager Operational Support and Facilities JHH. Security Officers will continue to report to the Senior Security Officers and Security Operations Manager.

There will not be any changes to the duties and responsibilities of any JHH security staff. The Security Operations Manager will have no responsibility for rostering and filling of positions at other sites within GNS, and rostering will be carried out by the Security Projects Manager FMU in consultation with the Security Operations Manager. The ability of current JHH security staff to work at other GNS sites will not be impacted by this change.

It is intended that these changes will take effect from Monday 8/11/21 and HNE acknowledges the HSU will consult with members about this proposal and refer any issues or concerns to management.

At this stage there are no plans to implement similar changes to security reporting lines at other locations at this stage. However, there is a possibility of changes occurring with the transfer of security qualified staff from HealthShare to HNELHD. HNELHD have committed to consultation with the HSU and affected staff before any changes are implemented.

Morisset

HNELHD have advised of their intention to implement agreed staffing level changes at Morisset, pending training of security staff in monitoring and operation of the gates on Acacia Avenue and Silky Oak Drive. HNELHD will arrange for the training to be completed.

The provision of security staff to cover the additional hours in the Kestrel Unit will be the responsibility of HNELHD. There will not be any changes to the rosters of Kestrel security staff at this stage, and any proposed change is likely to coincide with the transition of HealthShare staff to HNELHD. Consultation with the HSU and affected staff will occur prior to any change to those rosters. The rostering of the “external” security officers will be adjusted in accordance with the agreed staffing levels.

Prior to implementation of the changes a further meeting of staff and the HSU to be convened at Morisset.

Management will forward proposed meeting dates to HSU.

Wallsend

HNELHD proposed to proceed with the agreed arrangements at Wallsend. Those arrangements include the implementation of Safe Work Practices (SWPs) and procedures that do not involve the use of onsite security staff; and for those changes to be subject to a monitoring and review period of six weeks to evaluate their effectiveness. During that period the security officers will remain on site.

Management acknowledged there has been a delay in moving forward with site consultation, including direct consultation with security staff, due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions but now that those restrictions are lifted, they intend to finalise the consultation process with meetings of security staff and general staff at the site.

The new SWPs are completed and have been distributed on site with training of staff currently being conducted.

HNELHD will provide proposed meeting dates to the HSU.

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