The expansion of Safe Staffing Levels will see dozens of new nurses enter the Illawarra workforce. Photo: SDI Productions.
A nursing recruitment drive is about to get underway in the Illawarra with dozens of new roles set to improve staffing levels and ensure better nurse to patient ratios in local hospitals.
Seventy more full-time equivalent nursing positions are set to be introduced across the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District as the implementation of the Safe Staffing Levels reforms are rolled out in general wards.
The expansion aims to help support the existing workforce and create safer, high-quality care for patients by ensuring a minimum ratio of one nurse to four patients during morning and afternoon shifts across participating wards.
“Guaranteeing the number of nurses on every shift is crucial to giving our nurses and midwives the support they need to provide world-class care to patients and relieve pressure on our hospitals,” NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said.
“This work reflects the ongoing partnership with the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association to deliver the safe staffing ratios nurses and midwives have campaigned to achieve for over a decade.
“By backing our staff and ensuring they have the support they need, we’re in turn building a stronger health system for everyone.”
Forty-five of the positions will be implemented in Wollongong Hospital with an additional 10 in Shellharbour, 11 in Shoalhaven and two in Milton-Ulladulla, with recruitment set to begin in the coming weeks.
“Safe staffing ratios will help bring more nurses and midwives into our public health system, addressing workforce shortages, improving patient care, and strengthening hospitals and health services right across NSW,” Heathcote MP Maryanne Stuart said.
“Every person in NSW deserves access to safe, high-quality public healthcare.
“There is still more work to do, but by supporting our frontline health workers, we are delivering better outcomes for patients and communities.
“This is a great outcome for our hospitals, nurses and the people of the Illawarra, because it delivers the staffing levels needed to support both health care workers and patients,” Wollongong MP Paul Scully said.
“This builds on other important health investments in Wollongong including $220 million to support a future expansion and redevelopment of Wollongong Hospital, new ambulance stations at Fairy Meadow and Unanderra and the Warrawong Community Health Centre which is nearing completion.
“I look forward to welcoming these new nurses into the Illawarra.”
Emergency Department Safe Staffing Levels have already been introduced across the state, having boosted the workforce by an additional 30 full-time equivalent nursing positions at Wollongong, 28 at Shoalhaven and 15 at Shellharbour.
Planning is also underway on the rollout of Safe Staffing Levels at seven dedicated postnatal wards across NSW, which is aimed at benefiting women and families by providing further improvements to public maternity care.
But while the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association welcomed the boost, the union will keep pushing until the safe ratios are delivered in all clinical settings.
“We remain fully committed to achieving our complete ratio claim and welcome continued discussions with the government to drive this forward,” NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary Katrina Bough said.
“Remaining wards still need better staffing and they have not been forgotten.
“We will hold the government accountable to their commitments and keep campaigning until every specialty area is included.”
Original Article published by Keeli Dyson on Region Illawarra.
