The Canberra Liberals will today call on the Health Minister to guarantee that current staffing levels and standard of clinical services will be maintained as a result of Canberra Health Services’ takeover of Calvary hospital.

Senior doctors and Nurses have written to all MLA’s expressing their concerns about the impacts that the takeover will have on staffing and clinical safety.

Shadow Minister for Health Leanne Castley has grilled the Health Minister in the Assembly over the past few weeks over her inability to publicly release and confirm whether services and staff will be impacted by this takeover.

“We know that only around 120 staff out of 1800 had completed their transition forms as of the 1^st of June,” Ms Castley said.

“The Health Minister has also confirmed that CHS has not requested any estimates or modelling on how many staff will transition from Calvary to CHS.

“Canberrans, patients and Calvary staff have serious concerns that the Minister will not be able to complete this transition without impacts on staffing levels and clinical services.

“What is equally concerning is that the Minister has failed to outline any contingency plans if insufficient staff transfer, or legal action holds up its takeover.

“I would expect the Minister to be able to answer these simple questions to assure the community and Calvary staff that the government has plans to deal with these realistic possibilities.”

Project manager experts and stakeholders have raised doubts about the feasibility of the government’s planned acquisition date of the 3^rd of July.

“Canberrans and hard-working staff need and deserve certainty from the Minister that this compulsory acquisition will not unnecessarily impact on work levels or healthcare services,” Ms Castley concluded.