Victorian healthcare workers to get $3000 bonus amid heavy winter workload

Thousands of Victorian healthcare workers will be eligible for a $3000 bonus as part of a mammoth new scheme.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement on Thursday morning acknowledging the challenges that lay ahead during winter.

“This is all about encouraging people to take up shifts, if they can to go from being part-time to maybe working some further hours,” Mr Andrews said.

“It’s also about bringing people back into the system who might have been out of the system for a period of time.

“People are our health system’s greatest asset and this is just one way for us to recognise and support their efforts and ensure nurses, doctors, paramedics, allied health and support staff are there when we need them most.”

The $353 million package will offer payments of $3000 to all staff working in public hospitals and ambulance services across the state.

This will include midwives, doctors, allied health professionals, nurses, paramedics, ward clerks and patient service assistants.

Other non-clinical staff will also be able to benefit for the payment including those working in cleaning, food, and laundry services.

To be eligible for the full package, workers will need to be employed by a public health service by July 1 and still be employed by September 30.

Those working in private healthcare will not be eligible.

The first $1500 will be paid on August 15 and the second half of the payment will be received by workers at the end of September.

Staff who start between July 1 and September 30 will be eligible for a pro-rata payment, aimed to provide incentive to attract workers to the sector.

Free meals will also be available for staff who take up night shifts.

Nurses’ Union State Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said the healthcare system has not yet, and may, never fully “bounce back” from pandemic-induced pressures.

“To acknowledge the pressure they have been under for two years and will continue to be under for months and months to come,’’ she said.

“No system can be business as usual when you take 1000 staff out every single day.’’