Goulburn Labor maintains pressure on Minns over nurse to patient ratios

"It's not ideal but it's better than what's in place at the moment," branch president Jason Shepherd said.

READ MORE:

Health District blames longer emergency waiting times on COVID

Goulburn nurses walk off job as part of statewide strike

Mr Minns this week said Labor would scrap the current nurse rostering system and impose enforceable safe staffing levels on a shift-by-shift basis. These would start in emergency departments and be subsequently rolled out to other specialty areas within hospitals from mid 2023.

"Our health system was in crisis before the pandemic, but after getting us through multiple waves of COVID-19, we owe it to our health workers to fix this," Mr Minns said.

"..Experienced nurses and midwives are either dropping their working hours or worse, leaving the system altogether because they're not supported enough in the workplace and see the workloads as untenable."

ALSO READ: Heritage properties in city centre set for a spruce-up

He has also promised to recruit an additional 1,200 nurses and midwives into the system, above those promised by the government, within the first four years of office. This is expected to cost $175 million.

Mr Minns' announcement came two weeks after Goulburn's Labor branch unanimously called on him to "immediately support and pledge the introduction of nurse to patient ratios statewide."

Members were upset that the opposition leader had 'backed away' from his earlier promise to implement the ratios, should he win office. Mr Shepherd said he was initially "disappointed" by Mr Minns' decision but wanted to hear from those at the coalface.

The well attended Goulburn meeting heard first-hand accounts from nurses about their "stressful" experiences.

Mr Shepherd said the branch had been campaigning for up to six years for mandated nurse to patient ratios. They want one nurse to four patients on hospital wards and a midwife-to-patient ratio of one-to-three.

"They need the ratios to protect their health and wellbeing," he said.

"They're dealing with patients at all stages of life and it's not an easy job...It's really important we listen to people who know what they're talking about."

ALSO READ: 'He seemed like a good country bloke': Trainer set to take on $2m race

Mr Shepherd said Mr Minns' promise for minimum staffing levels was a first step but more detail was needed.

"I think there's room for negotiation and we'll actively pursue that," he said.

He plans to campaign on the issue at next month's state Labor conference in Sydney. A branch meeting in early October will hear members' thoughts.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association has welcomed the announcement.

"Our public health system is in desperate need of serious reform and addressing the systemic issues impacting the nursing and midwifery workforce is central to that," general secretary, Shaye Candish said in a statement.

"What Labor has put on the table would go a long way towards repairing the broken staffing system we have in NSW, and towards tackling the overwork and fatigue being experienced by the majority of nurses and midwives who are keeping our public hospitals functioning."

She said the Association would continue to talk to Labor on what it was proposing in the same way it had discussed the matter with the government, The Greens and "anyone else who would listen."

ALSO READ: Woman 'lost it' on the day she spat on her neighbour

"With the right interventions, we can turn these staffing issues around and restore confidence back into the health system, which will also help attract future nurses and midwives to work in a NSW hospital," Ms Cavendish said.

The Australian College of Nursing has also called for more detail.

Chief executive, Adjunct Professor Kyle Ward said she wanted more information on how the 1200 additional nurses would be distributed.

"There must be an adequate balance of experienced and skilled nurses to mentor early career nurses and ensure the complex health needs of consumers are addressed," she said.

"Investing in leadership development, prioritising the health and wellbeing of staff, and educational opportunities are urgently needed."

Do you have something to say about this issue? Send a letter to the editor. Click here for the Goulburn Post

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: