Regional hospitals to receive nurse staffing boost

REGIONAL hospitals are set to benefit from new nurse-to-patient ratios aimed at easing the strain on emergency department staffing.

Lismore Base Hospital will be among the first to receive this support, with other Northern Rivers hospitals to follow.

This move aims to achieve a ratio of one nurse for every three treatment spaces in their emergency departments and will see Lismore Base Hospital gain an additional 29 full-time equivalent (FTE) nurses.

NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) Assistant General Secretary Michael Whaites welcomed the announcement but expressed concerns over the slow pace of implementation, noting that only four out of over 200 public hospitals have begun implementing nurse-to-patient ratios since the government took office last year.

“We need the Ministry of Health and state government to speed up the safe staffing rollout, to ensure it is implemented smoothly and swiftly,” Whaites said.

The NSW public health system is grappling with staffing shortages, with poor pay and heavy workloads blamed for driving many skilled clinicians to leave the profession.

“Tweed Valley Hospital, north of Lismore, is losing staff to Queensland for ratios and better pay,” Whaites said.

“NSW nurses and midwives are now the lowest paid in the country.

“They need to know when things are going to get better for them.”

The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce is overseeing the rollout of the Government’s commitment of 2,480 full-time employees over four years.

Phase one begins in Level 5 and Level 6 EDs, treating the most critically ill patients, and will expand to other hospitals and departments over the next three years.

Regional Health Minister Ryan Park said the aim was to improve the experience of patients and staff and boost retention, capacity, and capability in hospitals.

“This reform will deliver improved nursing numbers to provide care for patients while supporting our frontline healthcare staff.” Park said.

The current Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award expired on June 30, and the NSWNMA is continuing to negotiate with the state government on its 2024 pay and conditions claim.

NSWNMA is calling for a 15 per cent pay increase for nurses and midwives to make their wages competitive with other states.