Unions in the region have thrown their support behind the NSW Health Services Union's campaign to stop Wollongong Hospital's plans to remove a ground-floor lunch room.
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Representatives from several unions including the Nurses Association, the South Coast Labour Council and the AWU joined the HSU at a meeting yesterday, keen to echo the union's concerns over the proposed change.
The HSU claims the plan would significantly blow out security guards' response times to emergency department duress alarms, potentially leaving medical staff to contend with volatile patients.
At present, security officers can respond from the lunch room in just 90 seconds.
But the union believes plans to remove the lunch room, forcing staff to use the ninth floor cafeteria, means guards on a meal break would take up to seven minutes to reach the ground-floor emergency department.
HSU regional organiser Andrew Gorman said other unions also wanted hospital management to withdraw the proposal.
"It basically affects all their members as well; that's why they're so keen to get behind it," he said.
"Any time someone is a visitor or patient at the hospital, they could be at risk ... with all the unions involved, we worked out nearly 60 per cent of the Illawarra is represented here, it could affect a lot of people."
AWU South Coast branch secretary Wayne Phillips said the plan posed a real safety risk.
"You can have people coming into emergency who are uncontrollable, under the influence of drugs and they become violent," he said.
"Staff need that support and protection of authority officers ... they need to know assistance is available as quickly as possible; having them nine floors away is just a ridiculous decision by the hospital."
South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris said the plan appeared to be heavy-handed.
"We're concerned basic issues like security may be compromised," he said.
"I can't see why management can't reach some form of agreement with these security officers; it's clearly imperative that they have very quick response times.
"If the issue is not resolved, we've made it clear the union can draw assistance from the council."
The HSU is set to meet with hospital management this week.
If a suitable decision was not reached, the HSU would take further action, Mr Gorman said.
A Wollongong Hospital spokeswoman told the Mercury on Tuesday adjustments were made to the hospital's office and staff amenity spaces as part of redevelopment.
She said hospital management would continue to work with those affected by the changes to ensure appropriate consultation occurred.
