Labor pledges new $150m nursing package

LABOR is committing further support for nurses and midwifes, announcing a new $150 million package if it retains power at this month’s state election.

The package includes a sign-on bonus, stronger nurse-to-patient ratios and more nurses and midwives in the public system.

Yesterday’s (Wednesday, November 9) commitment follows Labor’s earlier $270 million pledge to recruit and train an extra 17,000 nurses, and includes:

• A $5,000 sign-on bonus for student nurses and midwives who graduate between 2022 and 2024 when they enter the public system, to support those already studying and encourage them to take up careers in the public system
• A nursing workforce package that will put more than 450 extra nurses and midwives into hospitals,to alleviate pressure on busy wards and emergency departments
• Further strengthening nurse-to-patient and midwife-to-patient ratios in law and boosting nurses on duty in Intensive Care Units, High Dependency Units, Coronary Care Units and Resuscitation Bays
• Increasing the midwifery ratio on night shifts so new mums and babies get the care and support they need, and
• Trialling a new position of Neonatal Support Nurse on maternity wards, with the dedicated nurses to support babies with more complex health needs.

The extra nurses and midwives from this package would start entering the workforce from the 2024-25 financial year.

Labor is also pledging to fund 30 extra nurses to expand in-reach teams for both public and private aged care facilities.

“We’re already covering HECS fees for nursing and midwifery students, so there’s no reason for anyone who’s thinking about studying nursing or midwifery not to go for it,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.

“But we don’t want our current students – and our public health system – to miss out.

“We’re doing what matters, delivering a $5,000 sign-on bonus to nursing and midwifery graduates who commit to working for two years in our public health system.”