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10 Assinaturas
500 para objectivo de colecta
Petição dirigida a: Hunter New England Local Health District
We, the undersigned, call on Hunter New England Local Health District and Narrabri District Health Service to urgently address the ongoing treatment of a local Registered Nurse and Midwife who has been unable to return to work following a physical injury, subsequent psychological injury, and prolonged workplace bullying. This midwife is well known and highly regarded by local families, and has been caring for our community since 2011.
After her workers compensation claim was denied, she was forced onto leave without pay, placing enormous financial strain on her and her family during an already difficult economic period. Despite providing four weeks’ notice of her intention to return to work at the end of February (as required by NSW Health policy), repeated efforts to facilitate her return have been ignored.
At a time when regional healthcare services are facing critical staffing shortages, it is deeply concerning that a highly qualified nurse and midwife of 15 years experience, willing to return to care for local families, continues to be excluded from the workplace. No healthcare worker should be forced into financial hardship simply for asking for workplace bullying to stop.
We call on Hunter New England Local Health District to act with fairness, transparency, and compassion by engaging meaningfully to support a safe and timely return to work.
While acknowledging there may be matters not publicly known, the community is seeking transparency, fairness, and compassionate engagement to resolve this situation safely and respectfully for all involved in a timely manner.
We ask that:
- That Hunter New England Local Health District engage immediately in a genuine return-to-work process with the affected midwife.
- That Narrabri District Health Service ensure a workplace culture free from bullying, intimidation, discrimination and retaliation.
- That regional maternity services prioritise retaining experienced healthcare staff to support safe care for local women and families
Razões
Rural and regional healthcare services are in crisis. They are experiencing significant workforce shortages, particularly in maternity and midwifery care. Experienced midwives are essential to ensuring safe care for women, babies, and families in rural communities. We cannot afford to lose experienced midwives from the system.
When healthcare workers experience workplace bullying, psychological injury, or barriers to returning to work, the effects extend beyond the individual. These situations contribute to staff burnout, workforce loss, reduced morale, and increased pressure on already stretched regional health services.
Community members are concerned not only for the wellbeing of this midwife and her family, but also for the broader message being sent to healthcare workers who speak up about workplace safety and bullying. Retaining skilled and compassionate clinicians should be a priority for regional healthcare services, particularly during ongoing staffing shortages and cost-of-living pressures affecting rural families and workers alike.
Research consistently shows workplace bullying contributes to psychological injury, workforce attrition, burnout, and reduced staff retention across healthcare settings. The concerns raised in this petition reflect broader evidence regarding the impacts of workplace bullying, psychological injury, and healthcare workforce retention in Australia.
Community members are concerned that current processes do not appear consistent with NSW Health’s stated commitments to staff wellbeing, psychological safety, and zero tolerance for workplace bullying.
Sources:
Safe Work Australia – Workplace Bullying
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/hazards/bullying
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF)
NSW Health – Workplace Culture and Staff Wellbeing
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/workforce/workplace/Pages/default.aspx
Australian College of Midwives
Beyond Blue – Workplace Mental Health
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/mental-health/workplace-mental-health
Muito obrigado pelo seu apoio, Michaela Carlson, Narrabri
Pergunta para quem iniciou o tópico
Detalhes da petição
Petição iniciada:
10/05/2026
Fim da coleta:
10/11/2026
Região:
Narrabri Shire Council
Categoria:
Saúde
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Local women deserve the expertise of an experienced midwife & RN. Financial hardship should not occur to a midwife who is wanting to return to the workplace. Bullplying, exclusion & harassment are against NSW health policy & should be immediately addressed at Narrabri health service. Management should put in place systems where staff feel safe to return to work.
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We are incredibly short handed with losing staff to work in better areas with better pay. Nurses who choose to stay with HNE despite the conditions and wages should be supported not bullied and discriminated against because they dare to say the treatment of our nurses is not acceptable. Its why so many of us leave and work outside the hospital. This needs to stop. In rural towns work is limited nurses have no choice but to provide for their families. Its simply not ok. Bullying and discrimination needs to stop.