NURSES CALL FOR GREATER STAFF-PATIENT RATIOS
Industrial action at Tamworth
New South Wales Health Minister Jillian Skinner has responded to industrial action by nurses, who are calling for greater staff-patient ratios.
“As Minister for Health, I deeply respect and value the commitment and care which the state’s 47,500-plus nurses and midwives give patients and their families each and every day”, she said.
“As part of the New South Wales Government’s commitment to improving patient care, we are expanding our nursing and midwifery workforce.”
The statewide action will affect more than 180 public hospitals and community health services, including 17 Hunter hospitals.
However Shadow Minister for Health, Dr Andrew McDonald, says the O’Farrell Government has refused to negotiate.
“The O’Farrell Government is already cutting $3-billion from our hospitals – putting even greater pressure on our already overworked nurses and midwives,” he said.
Nurses and midwives have told the government there’s still a dire need for greater nurse-to-patient ratios in country hospitals and other specialty areas such as emergency departments, paediatrics, neonatal intensive care, critical care and community health nursing.
