Agency Directive

 

In response to concerns about high use of agency nurses by public hospitals, the associated costs and implications for patient care, the following directive was issued to health service CEOs. The directive came into force 1st March 2002 and remains in force.  

Conditions Of Engagement Of Agency Nursing Services

Pursuant to the direction granted by the Secretary of the Department of Human Services on 1 March 2002 pursuant to section 42 of the Health Services Act 1988 you are required to engage the services of agency nurses only in accordance with the conditions set out below, unless the Chief Executive Officer obtains prior authorisation in writing from Director, Nurse Policy Branch. DHS. 

1.  Conditions under which Agency staff can be used

Agency nursing staff may only be used for unexpected absences, for example sick leave, exceptional circumstances or compassionate leave. 

2.  Replacement Grade

Where an agency nurse is required to perform services that would otherwise be performed by a permanently employed nurse, the replacement nurse must be engaged and paid at the same grade as the permanently employed nurse. 

3.  Existing Staff working for Agency with employing health service

Nurses who are permanently employed by a Health Service Organisation must not be engaged to perform agency nursing services for the Health Service Organisation that permanently employs them.  

4.  Maximum Price

The amount that any Victorian public hospital pays to any employment agency for the services of a temporary nurse must not exceed: 

·     80 % above the basic award rate for the replacement grade nurse; plus

·     15 % above the allowances provision included in the award.

Recommendations regarding the limitations on the use of agency nurses were made in the Nurse Recruitment and Retention Final report (May 2001) and are part of the current public sector industrial agreement. 

Exemption Process

To ensure continuity of critical services a process has been established that provides for an exception to condition 1 only of the directive where significant impact on service delivery would otherwise occur.  The exemption does not relate to other elements of the directive.  

Health services wishing to apply for an exemption are required to complete an application for exemption and submit the request to DHS for approval by the director of Nurse Policy Branch.  When approved the form is returned to the health service.  The period that the exemption is in effect for is for a maximum of one week rather than a fixed number of shifts. 

Application for Exemption from DHS Directive (doc, 75kb)

As part of the directive, health services are encouraged to have effective Nurse Banks operating. 

Terms:

Nursing Agency: Privately operated organisation that supplies casual nursing staff to hospitals and other health services. Nurse banks: Nurse banks are administered by hospitals/health services and the nurses are employed by the hospital/health service.  Nurses belonging to nurse banks are paid at casual rates and elect how often and when they wish to work