Hundreds of nurses set to lose jobs during health crisis

Nurses in South Australia have been asked to put their hands up for redundancy payouts, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The union says more than 370 jobs are set to go, sparking fears the system will struggle to cope with the usual winter influx of patients.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation SA Branch CEO Elizabeth Dabars said it constituted "workforce removal".

"Either people who are remaining would be told to work harder, or there would simply have to be bed cuts," she said.

The cost-cutting measures across the state's hospitals started last year, but were suspended when the coronavirus crisis took hold.

Health Minister Stephen Wade claimed nobody would be considered for a "voluntary separation package" if their role was part of the COVID-19 response, or could be part of a future COVID-19 response.

The nurses union is calling for the round of redundancies to be delayed again, until the end of the year.

But Mr Wade is denying concerns some nurses will be forced out the door if targets aren't met.