The union for SA pathologists says that every week members are reporting unfulfilled gaps in rosters and argue the state government’s 1.5 per cent wage cap is fuelling the shortages.
Pathologists in South Australia say the blowout in wait times for COVID-19 test results is the result of low public sector wage growth that has been fuelling long-term staff shortages in the health system.
SA topped 20,000 test results for the first time on Monday and Premier Steven Marshall was forced to apologise for lengthy delays and to dump requirements for interstate arrivals to get tested unless they had symptoms. “We’ve gone from about 2000 tests a day to about 20,000 tests,” he said. “At the height of the clusters in SA, we were only just touching that point.”But Professionals Association chief executive Jill McCabe said, “right now, SA Pathology is struggling to hire the additional staff needed to manage the increase in COVID testing due to low wages and poor workplace conditions”.
“Members have told us that every week there are unfilled gaps in rosters,” she said. “This has been going on for years, but the Marshall government has done nothing to address the shortages.”
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