WA Health Minister Kim Hames says that hospital staff in Perth support the new 4-hour rule, implemented in April by Mr. Hames. However, a local union claims that the nurses and hospital staff most affected by the debacle that resulted from the new rule were not admitted to any forums where they could express their informed opinions.

 

The new rule, which was developed by the state government in 2009 to tackle patient waiting times in the state's major hospitals, demands that at least 85% of ED patients are attended to within 4 hours. However, most hospitals, including the state's biggest hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner, are repeatedly failing to achieve this goal. 

 

In response, hospital staff and union representatives claim that patients are being "double-handled" and shuffled around the hospital in order to meet the 4-hour requirement. Forums held by the state's health department excluded the staff most affected by the new rule; the forums supposedly indicated that most hospital staff prefer the new rule and do not want it to be reversed. 

 

However, the union for hospital ancillary staff, United Voice, states these claims are unjustified: "United Voice members, the orderlies, patient care assistants and nurses who are most affected by the 4-hour rule debacle were not able to attend any forum and voice their informed opinion… In fact, many of our members weren't even aware the staff forums were taking place," says union secretary Dave Kelly. "A broom cupboard with four middle management types in it does not constitute a staff forum, nor does it amount to 'overwhelming support'. They'd be the only four people in the hospital who thought the 4-hour rule was working."