In an unprecedented move, members of the Ambulance Division of the HSU have united to ban hospital discharges on Thursday. This action has been endorsed by both NSWA Paramedics and HealthShare PTO members.

This united action is in response to the disrespect shown by the Minns government, who were elected on a promise to scrap the wages cap and introduce 100% salary packaging for Health Services workers.

Premier Minns could have scraped the wages cap by executive order when he was sworn in on the 28th of March, but he chose to delay. Hardworking workers in health cannot continue to live with this uncertainty.

From the first day shift on Thursday 18th May, until the first day shift Friday 19th May, Paramedics and PTOs will ban hospital patients being discharged to home or residential aged care facilities. Health workers care about patients and know that the safest place for them is in hospital. Exceptions to these bans will be dialysis and palliative/end of life patients.

Yet again, politicians on comfortable salaries have asked health workers to wait, as they did before the pandemic, during the pandemic and as they are now during a cost-of-living crisis. Mr. Premier, HSU members can’t wait anymore.