Nurses and midwives at Northern Beaches Hospital began a 26-hour strike at 6am today, demanding improved staffing ratios, better pay, and working conditions that match their public hospital counterparts.
The strike, part of a series of rolling stoppages at Healthscope facilities, highlights growing tensions between frontline healthcare workers and the private operator of the Frenchs Forest hospital.
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) members are calling on Healthscope to “put patients and staff before profits” by implementing safe working conditions that enable quality patient care. Their demands include mandated nurse-to-patient ratios, a 15% one-year wage increase, higher night shift penalties, and improved leave entitlements.
Political Support Grows for Public Ownership
The strike has drawn significant political support from local representatives. State MPs Michael Regan (Wakehurst) and Jacqui Scruby (Pittwater), along with Federal Member for Mackellar Sophie Scamps, attended the strike and backed calls to return the hospital to public hands.
Dr. Scamps was quoted by Manly Observer saying: “When you have a private equity firm trying to make profit out of public health care, it just does not work. So we can see what’s happening. They are telling us their distress, their stress, they’re burning out, and they need our support. And the hospital should be back in public hands.”
Hybrid Model Under Scrutiny
Northern Beaches Hospital operates under an unusual hybrid model as both a public and private facility, with all operations managed by Healthscope under contract with the NSW Government. This arrangement has been controversial since its inception, when it replaced the former Manly and Mona Vale public hospitals.
The facility is currently subject to its second government inquiry and a performance audit. Despite these challenges, Bureau of Health data shows the hospital performs equal to or better than its peers in several metrics, particularly emergency room wait times.
The NSWNMA has confirmed that life-preserving care and minimum staffing levels will be maintained throughout the 26-hour work stoppage, which follows a previous strike in November that failed to resolve ongoing issues.
Healthscope had previously expressed disappointment with industrial action, claiming they were negotiating “in good faith” toward “an agreement that’s fair and sustainable for our people and our hospitals.” According to the NSWNMA, there has been no progress in negotiations since the November strike.
Published 23-March-2025
