Forensicare campaign update 2: Forensicare bargaining meetings update and member survey

Negotiations for the replacement Forensicare agreement are continuing with weekly meetings with the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association (VHIA), Forensicare and unions.

In addition to ANMF (Vic Branch), other parties involved in bargaining include the Department of Health and the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU), which also represents allied health professionals, lived and living experience workers and disability support workers as well as admin and other support workers in the mental health, disability and AOD sectors and Victorian Psychologists Association (VPA).

As advised in our EBA update #1, ANMF has served members’ Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health 2025–2028 enterprise agreement log of claims. VHIA has provided a preliminary response to our log, as have ANMF to the employer claim.

Parties are now discussing claims that are specific to Forensicare, whilst also noting the link to the negotiations for the public sector mental health agreement.

ANMF remains committed to working expediently with the goal of reaching an agreement that is supported by our membership as soon as practicable.

The ANMF members’ log of claims features more than 70 items and aims to maintain parity with general public sector nurses, with respect to the improvements achieved during their recent EBA campaign – inclusive of their wages outcome.

Among the claims specific to the Forensicare and the mental health sector are:

1. A provision that clearly sets out the minimum staffing profiles for all bed-based services.
2. Improved position descriptors and/or improved classification structures for positions including Nurse Unit Managers, Directors of Nursing, Research Nurse, Senior Mental Health Nurse, and Nurse Practitioners, as well as a Forensicare-specific claim for improved progression to Forensicare Nurse Program Managers.
3. Expansion of the graduate nurse support pilot to Forensicare with allocation at each service seven days a week for all acute inpatient units.

Read the log of claims.

Read the employer’s log of claims.

Forensicare proposal regarding the Early Intervention Support Team (EIST) and Clinical Support Team (CST) at Thomas Embling Hospital

One of Forensicare’s claims is to review the EIST effectiveness. Forensicare has sought feedback on a draft proposal to combine EIST and CST as well as move the reporting lines for Mental Health Officers under this new team. Forensicare has stated that this is still in the design stage and will retain all EFT and be led by RPNs.

To read the proposal please check the email version of this update.

ANMF has clarified with Forensicare that the proposed manager of the team is a RPN5 classification and the RPN5 or equivalent in their proposal document is an error.

Members are encouraged to complete our survey to provide your feedback on the current operations of these teams and the draft proposal.

Fill in the member survey.

The survey will close on 18 March.

Do you have at least two Job Reps?

It’s a great time to become an ANMF Job Rep, get to know your current entitlements better and get involved in our EBA campaign. Job Reps are the life force of our union and can attend the yearly ANMF delegates conference as well as put forward motions for consideration on the ANMF log of claims. To nominate as an ANMF Job Rep yourself (ideally there would be at least two Job Reps per ward/area) please read the information and download a Job Rep nomination form.

To see who your ANMF Job Rep is, log in to the Member Portal and then click the ‘My Delegates’ tab under ‘My Membership’.

Update your details

Should we need to take further steps during negotiations, it is critically important that you make sure ANMF has your correct details. If there have been any changes, please update your contact details on the Member Portal.

Please check and update if required your:

• workplace and second or additional workplace if you have one
• family name, given name, middle name
• date of birth
• work and private email address
• mobile
• postal address

If you and your colleagues determine it necessary to vote to take protected industrial action as part of your enterprise bargaining campaign, your ANMF member details will need to match the details held by your employer in order for you to get a vote.

If you work at Forensicare and are not receiving newsflashes and updates, you may have unsubscribed from our workplace communications.

To make sure you are kept up to date with all the important news and developments you can manage your digital ANMF communications on the Member Portal.

Are all nurses on your ward or unit members?

Now is the time to get engaged and get involved! We need strong collective action and commitment from members at the workplace and the more members there are, the stronger your voices will be. All nurses are encouraged to join ANMF, non-members can join online.

Got a campaign inquiry?

If members have any questions or feedback please email records@anmfvic.asn.au attention to ANMF Industrial Officer Michelle Baldini or your ANMF Industrial Relations Organiser (see below).