HP members win right to apply for coordinators position

Management of Metro South Health District proposed to advertise a Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinators position restricted only to those workers with a nursing qualification.

Health Practitioner (HP) members successfully argued that there was nothing that restricted the managerial position from being advertised as a joint HP / NO (nursing officer) position, providing HP workers with an opportunity for greater career progression.

Queensland Health argued before the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) that the position had to be advertised as an NO position because only someone with a nursing qualification would provide the desired pharmaceutical component of the position.

QPSU members made a successful counter-argument that as there was already a qualified nurse in the team who performed such duties it was unnecessary for the management position in question to be advertised to the exclusion of HP staff.

The presentation to the QIRC by rank and file HP members was instrumental in changing the decision of the department and ensuring the position was advertised as a joint HP/NO position.