As Covid-19 continues to change the way we work and impact our lives, the Ministry of Health continues to be on the frontline of providing information to the people of NSW and guide us through the pandemic safely.
The PSA would like to express its appreciation to all of you who are working tirelessly at this time within the Ministry, especially our members.
New Ways to Work – 1 Reserve Road
As teams are moving into 1RR, there is still some minor work being done on unused floors. There should be minimal noise and no risk involved however if you see anything unsafe notify your delegates, the Union or your local WHS team.
You will start to see Union notice boards up in the print rooms. If there is nothing on your notice board please let us know and we will make sure it’s full of interesting and useful information.
As a result of discussion at the last PSA members meeting we raised if staff could have access to any of the equipment from the old offices and have been advised no. The used equipment will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner as specified by NSW Government Policy.
As we move in to 1RR activities will be held to introduce staff to what is available and the relevant resources such as First aid and Fire warden access. There is a First Aid Hotline, 12 55 55 via softphone or 9859 5555 from any phone.
There has been some extensive work with individual adjustments and requirements with Michael Baveas assisting. If you have any concerns or further requirements, please contact the PSA or your local Move Champion.
MoH JCC
With Covid still affecting NSW, the PHEOC and SHEOC teams will continue and may increase in size. The Ministry have advised they will look at employing further staff into PHEOC and SHEOC to allow current staff to return to their substantive work. The work of the Public Health Response team is invaluable however there is still business as usual that needs to be completed and time out of teams responding to the crisis for rest and recovery.
With the additional hours required for Covid, the PSA reminds its members to make sure you are looking after your health and wellbeing. Watch out for fatigue and working excessive hours. If you feel you are losing hours or working too much you should in the first instance speak with your manager. You can also contact your delegates and the PSA for advice and representation.
The Ministry has offered those working within the PHEOC and SHEOC teams to temporarily take on a shift work agreement. This is optional and can be left with reasonable notice and is not a long term expectation. It is to assist with staff being able to control their working hours and help alleviate fatigue. The PSA was involved in consultation around the implementation of these arrangements and is always available to discuss with your rights and entitlements.
The Ministry is rolling out an Incident Management System called IMS+. This system is used by Local Health Districts and is being adapted to work within 1RR. The PSA will represent the interest of members throughout the implementation.
The Ministry advised that there are currently no proposed restructures. If you are aware of any proposed or current restructures, please contact your delegates or the PSA.
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