Victoria's public hospital mandated nursing and midwifery safe staffing levels are at risk under a Wilson Liberal government.
Announcements flagged today to slash more than 7000 public sector jobs have put nurses and midwives on high alert.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) Assistant Secretary Nicole Allan said 'History tells us that Liberal governments go after nurse/midwife patient ratios and they don't support or understand mandated minimum safe staffing.
'We are at a crossroads because we're strengthening our early career and experienced workforce for the Victorian community's current needs and for the future expansion of ratios.
'By July we will have full implementation of the Allan Government's improved ratios in ante and postnatal, ICU, coronary care and emergency departments – which will improve nurses' and midwives' ability to care for all Victorians.
'We continue to have positive discussions with the Allan Government to implement the reclassification of 23 public hospitals, predominantly regional, to ensure that legislated ratios are fit for purpose with the growing demand. This will mean an increase in nurses and midwives and potentially more graduate nurse/ midwife positions.
'We have no confidence in a government that is demonising more than 7000 public sector workers that it will resist the temptation of savings it can make by cutting the number of nurses and midwives we have in our hospitals.
'The last Liberal government spent nine months fighting Victorian nurses and midwives to replace them with health assistants to save $104 million off its annual nursing budget.
'It may be 14 years ago, but nurses and midwives will never forget.'
About us:
The ANMF (Vic Branch) has over 111,000 members – nurses, midwives and aged care personal care workers – across the Victorian health and aged care sectors.
