ANMF (Vic Branch) and district nurse members at South West Healthcare have achieved a great win regarding the members’ classification.
Back in March, ANMF initiated a dispute in the Fair Work Commission regarding the incorrect classification of district nurses at South West Healthcare.
The dispute related to district nurses who undertake Hospital in the Home (HITH) and/or Post-Acute Care (PAC) work as part of their role.
The public sector nurses and midwives agreement provides that if a registered nurse is directed to undertake this work, they should be classified as HITH/PAC. The members and ANMF’s view was therefore that the substantive classification for these roles should be HITH/PAC – and they should be paid HITH/PAC rates for all hours worked.
South West Healthcare, however, maintained that it would pay higher duties at the HITH/PAC rate only for the hours (and then eventually the days) during which this specific work was undertaken, and continue to pay the district nursing rate for other days.
An example of the difference this would mean to members:
| Classification / Code | Hourly rate as of 11 May 2026 |
| District Nurse Level 2 / YU1 | $56.72 |
| HITH / PAC level 1 / YU15 | $58.34 |
After much advocacy from ANMF and a conciliation conference at the Commission, South West Healthcare have agreed that:
- District nurses at Warrnambool and Camperdown whose role includes HITH/PAC duties (which is currently all district nurses at both sites) will be paid at the HITH/PAC rate at all times moving forward.
- All new registered nurses entering the district nursing service will be paid at the HITH/PAC rate.
- The above arrangement will be backdated to the commencement of the current enterprise agreement, being 15 November 2024.
- For dates prior to 15 November 2024, a higher duties backpayment will also be made for single days where a district nurse, from either site, was required to perform HITH/PAC duties. This backpayment will be calculated for a period of six years.
ANMF is grateful to members for their assistance to during the dispute, and congratulates them on this significant win.
