Orange Hospital has now begun rostering to Safe Staffing Levels in the emergency department (ED), as the Minns Labor Government continues to deliver on its promise to deliver the historic staffing reform.
Orange Health Service recently completed a successful recruitment campaign of 21 FTE nurses in the emergency department (ED), to fulfil the Safe Staffing Level requirements.
In total, 50 EDs have commenced implementation of Safe Staffing Levels across Sydney and regional NSW, with 17 EDs having already completed staff recruitment. Across the state, more than 600 FTE nurses have been recruited in emergency departments since the Safe Staffing Levels rollout started.
The staffing boost enables the rostering of a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied ED resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse to three generally occupied ED treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts.
The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce was established to oversee the rollout of the Minns Labor Government's commitment of 2,480 FTE over four years. It includes key leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA), NSW Health, and local health districts.
Phase one of Safe Staffing Levels commenced in the level five and six emergency departments, which treat some of the most critically ill patients, and is being implemented progressively across other key areas in a phased approach.
Implementing Safe Staffing Levels is just one of a range of measures that the Minns Labor Government is embracing to build a more supported health workforce, including:
- funding the equivalent of 1,112 FTE nurse and midwife positions on an ongoing basis
- abolishing the wages cap and delivering the highest pay increase in over a decade for nurses and other health workers
- 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural and remote communities.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Ryan Park:
"We are continuing to make good on our commitment to nurses with the introduction of safe staffing ratios in our hospitals - one of the largest structural reforms to our health workforce in a generation.
"More staff, more hospitals, more beds, lower wait times and better patient outcomes - it's as simple as that."
Quotes attributable to Member for Orange Phil Donato:
"I am a strong supporter of our hard working nurses, and I've long advocated for increasing the number of nursing staff - especially on the frontline in our emergency departments.
"I welcome the succesful recruitment of 21 full-time-equivalent nurses to the busy emergency department of the Orange Health Service.
"The implementation of increased and safer staffing levels at the Orange Hospital ED will help to reduce nurse workload, and in turn improving the delivery of patient safety and care."
