Doctors and nurses at Canberra Hospital's emergency department have been told their coffee and tea supplies will be kept under lock and key due to budget restrictions and suspected theft.
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One staff member described the tension in the department as "thick", with many staff reportedly working overtime to meet an increasing number of presentations.
Wait times for patients in need of urgent treatment at Canberra's emergency departments are the worst in the country, according to the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare.
An ACT Health spokesman said a recruitment drive had been conducted to reinforce staffing levels at the emergency department and reduce the need for overtime shifts.
"ACT Health denies any suggestion that staff are undertaking shifts outside of their relevant enterprise agreements," he said.
"As with other parts of the hospital some staff have agreed to do overtime shifts."
Coffee and tea have been provided to patients and family members for many years, with emergency department staff also granted access given their working conditions.
But a joint email from clinical director Mike Hall, assistant director of nursing Megan Wall and administration manager Daniel Ingram warned staff of changes.
"This is a privilege and not a standard practice offered to all staff across Canberra Hospital and Health Services."
The letter said staff in other areas of the hospital were suspected of helping themselves to supplies reserved for patients and emergency department staff.
"There is a possibility that our supplies are being taken from other hospital departments and therefore, we are locking the supply cupboard so that we can monitor how much stock we as a department are using," they said.
What is your department doing to save its pennies? Send your tips to ps@canberratimes.com.au
During business hours on Monday to Friday, emergency department staff will have to contact the director's personal assistant who will unlock a supply cupboard containing the coffee and tea.
"On Friday evenings, the pantries will all be fully stocked and additional box of tea, coffee and sugar will be placed in the acute kitchenette area," the letter said. "This will last the weekend."
An ACT Health spokesman said coffee and tea was not being removed from the department but its usage would be monitored to ensure it was available to families and carers.
The emergency department blew its budget for food and beverages last year and management warned staff it was likely to do so again unless changes were made.
In June, the AIHW found the ACT had the lowest proportion of urgent patients who were treated on time; just 50 per cent were seen within 30 minutes. Only 61 per cent of overall patients who presented at emergency departments in the ACT were seen within two hours.
That was the second worst rate in the country, trailed only by the Northern Territory's 57 per cent, and below the national average of 75 per cent.
The ACT Government has allocated $23 million for an extension of the Canberra Hospital emergency department to cope with increasing demand.
The extension will increase the number of beds by 40 percent, from 54 to 75, while the government considers further redeveloping the hospital.
