Tasmanian nurses and healthcare staff are being recalled from holiday leave and backfill workers are urgently being sought from other parts of the system to cope with significant staff shortages at major public hospitals.
A "code yellow" — a measure that signals an internal emergency — was issued this week at the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH), which long-term staff say they have never previously experienced.
It means the department can take all measures possible to fill staff shortages, including cancelling leave.
One Tasmanian Health Service employee used social media to detail their everyday reality, including excessive overtime and exhaustion.
The Facebook post had over 1,300 shares before it was deleted.
Departmental staff typically have non-disparagement clauses in their contracts.
The staff member detailed how the situation was the worst they had seen in their career.
"There is no job satisfaction; the nurse/midwife/patient ratios are unrealistic, often unsafe and unmanageable," they said.
"There is a constant request for nurses to work overtime, extra shifts and we are exhausted, mentally and physically.
"So many no longer want to stay in the position and are wanting to leave, change careers, or like me, retire early. Our healthcare system is absolutely broken."
Urgent SMS for nurses
One week ago, in response to growing concerns from the Australian Medical Association about COVID in the community, Tasmania's Health Department stated "contingencies are in place" to ensure "continued delivery of critical services".
Days later, a mass text message was sent to staff which started with: "URGENT CALL FOR ALL NURSES NEXT 48HRS", seeking people willing to come in at short notice.
A code yellow was then declared on Wednesday.
The state's two largest hospitals, the RHH and Launceston General, were escalated to level 3 on their COVID management plans earlier this month, meaning non-urgent elective surgery would be reviewed.
The hospitals have been escalated and de-escalated to this level several times since COVID re-entered the state a year ago.
But the pressure appears to have only grown at the RHH, with the government pointing to an increase in weather-related respiratory illness admissions, heat stress and ongoing staff absences due to COVID.
There are 53 staff off work due to COVID in Tasmania's south, 25 in the north and 21 in the north-west, according to data provided to the Health and Community Services Union on Thursday.
Three COVID patients are in intensive care.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) secretary Emily Shepherd said it was unfair to expect overworked nurses to continue to pick up the slack, claiming the government had not planned ahead.
"I can't even convey the frustration of our members at the Royal Hobart Hospital, particularly those that have been requested to return to assist," she said.
"We know time and time again nurses and midwives will step up to assist and will put patients' and their colleagues' safety ahead of their health and wellbeing.
"Unfortunately, that's placed some of our members in really difficult situations, cancelling international holidays, trying to find childcare at very short notice to try to assist and be part of the solution at the Royal Hobart Hospital."
Public urged to avoid EDs if able
In a statement on Thursday, secretary and state health commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks thanked "all Royal Hobart Hospital staff, including those who were on leave but have returned to duty, for their dedication and commitment to the health and safety of patients, and to their fellow colleagues".
She said the hospital "continues to experience sustained significant demand for services", adding that "recalling staff from leave is one of the measures that has been necessary as the RHH implements protocols to ensure we are able to meet demand".
Ms Morgan-Wicks urged people requiring non-urgent care to "make use of an appropriate alternative health service to help reduce pressure on our busy emergency departments".
Senior cabinet minister Guy Barnett said the RHH issues were due to "strong winds delivering respiratory conditions", the hot weather, the busier Christmas period and COVID continuing to spread.
"It's being managed carefully and monitored carefully, and it's important to acknowledge that emergencies are for emergencies, and I leave that message for the Tasmanian people," he said.
"It's a very busy time of year anyway, Christmas and New Year, you've had COVID, health conditions impacted by the heat and the wind, and of course, those flow-on effects."
Code yellow is likely to remain in place until after New Year's Eve.
Labor's Ella Haddad said workers had continually called for improved workforce planning, particularly ahead of the festive season.
"These workers have known and have been trying to raise with government that critical workforce shortages were likely to hit the hospital at this time of year, and the government failed to listen," she said.
"They could have started by listening to workers who were raising these concerns more than a year ago when borders first reopened."
