Hundreds of graduate nurses at one of Melbourne’s busiest hospitals have had their hours slashed by the health service on the eve of starting their placements, in what appears to be the latest example of hospital belt-tightening.
Alfred Health has cut next year’s graduate nursing program from a 32-hour working week to just 24 hours, according to a leaked union document seen by The Age.
Graduate nurses at the Alfred will have their hours slashed from four to three days per week.Credit: Getty Images
The move has sparked concerns about the impact of the cuts on the graduates’ wages and training, as well as their role staffing one of Melbourne’s busiest emergency and trauma centres.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) bulletin warned Alfred Health members on Monday that the health service had told successful applicants for its 2025 graduate nursing program that it would need to unilaterally change its offer of employment from a 0.8 full-time equivalent (FTE) role to 0.6 FTE.
A 0.8 FTE role equates to a four-day working week, while 0.6 FTE equates to three days.
The union says the changes occurred without consultation.
“ANMF is seeking, as a matter of urgency, a meeting with Alfred Health and further advice on behalf of affected graduate members,” the bulletin said.
“In the meantime, we recommend that contracts of employment that are subsequently issued at 0.6 FTE are not signed by our members until further notice.”
An Alfred Health spokesperson said the decision was due to higher-than-expected retention rates across the nursing workforce.
“We made the decision to continue to offer 280 graduate nurses positions within our health service at changed hours, rather than reduce the number of opportunities available. This has been driven by vacancy levels, and not by funding.
Offering more graduate positions means more nurses can start to work, can start caring for our patients, and can start to get the valuable experience needed to build their careers.”
Graduate nurses at Caulfield Hospital, which is managed by Alfred Health, will also have their hours reduced.Credit: Justin McManus
About 300 graduate nurse positions are offered across the health service each year, according to The Alfred’s website, and all are employed in ongoing positions. The 12-month program offers two six-month rotations.
Alfred Health runs three major public hospitals – The Alfred, Caulfield and Sandringham.
One Alfred Health nurse, who spoke to The Age on the condition of anonymity to protect her employment, said she worried the changes were a result of budget tightening.
The health service’s most recent annual report revealed it had, on average, just eight days of available cash last financial year when its target was 14 days.
WorkCover premiums soared 60 per cent year-on-year, hitting $13.5 million in 2023-24.
“How do graduate nurses consolidate their learning, especially at The Alfred – which cares for some of the sickest people in the state – with three shifts a week? I just think it’s appalling,” the nurse said.
“Experienced nurses have concerns. I worry what will happen when I move on.”
The union’s Victorian branch acting secretary, Madeleine Harradence, said she expected 280 graduates would be affected.
“[We are] seeking legal advice and looking at all options available to us to respond to this short-sighted decision by Alfred Health,” she said.
“Our position is that Alfred Health should honour the 0.8 offers made to these 2025 graduate nurses.”
Harradence said it was counterintuitive for any health service to take “a back step in terms of nursing workforce planning” given the government’s nursing and midwifery sign-on bonus and free nursing and midwifery initiatives.
An Allan government spokesperson said the issue was entirely a matter for Alfred Health.
“This has nothing to do with funding,” the spokesperson said. “Hospitals have record funding of more than $21 billion this year.”
Opposition health spokesperson Georgie Crozier said the reduction in graduate nursing hours was concerning.
“In the middle of a health crisis our hospitals and staff need to be supported.”
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