All Library staff are employed by the South Metropolitan Health Service and provide services across East and South Metropolitan Health Services. Costs are split equally in each pay cycle.
The operational plan for South Metropolitan Health Service that was approved for the opening of Fiona Stanley Hospital and the merger of the former Fremantle Hospital Library with the Royal Perth Hospital Library approved an FTE allocation of 12.2. (At that point most of the current EMHS was in SMHS.) 1.4 FTE was cut from the Library establishment in 2015.
The approved staffing establishment from 2015 allowed for the creation of an additional 1 FTE at Senior Librarian level (P-2). It was not approved to be filled permanently until November 2016. The position was advertised and Alex Petrie (an internal applicant) was selected and appointed in February 2017. To keep the FTE establishment in line with the approved staffing establishment levels, Alex's former P-1 Librarian 1 FTE allocation was abolished.
The Library approved and funded establishment was10.8 FTE until August 2018. Retirement of an 0.5 FTE Library Technician and a request from a Senior Librarian to reduce working hours from 0.9 FTE to 0.6 FTE allowed for a minor restructure. The Library Technician hours and the 0.3 FTE hours from the Senior Librarian position have been combined to create an additional 0.6 FTE Senior Librarian position for no additional cost. The total approved and funded establishment has reduced slightly to 10.6 FTE but the mix better reflects the type of work that needs to be covered and gives the opportunity to ensure some succession planning.
The Library organisation chart is attached and the reporting line for the Library is shown on the SMHS organisation structure (intranet link).
An EMHS / SMHS comparison against this recommended ratio in the NHS policy. [22 January 2020]
Australia's Health Information Workforce: Census Summary Report 2018 [14.4% in health libraries]