The Minns Labor Government will begin the process to implement Safe Staffing Levels in dedicated postnatal wards, benefiting women and families with further improvements to public maternity care.
The following NSW hospital postnatal wards will receive safe staffing ratios:
- Campbelltown Hospital
- Liverpool Hospital
- Nepean Hospital
- John Hunter Hospital
- Royal Hospital for Women
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
- Westmead Hospital
The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce, comprised of key leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA), NSW Health, and local health districts, will plan the rollout and determine how many staff will be assigned to the respective postnatal wards.
The Minns Labor Government and the NSWNMA continue to work collaboratively on the delivery of Safe Staffing Levels, the most significant workforce reform in the history of NSW health system.
The Minns Labor Government has committed to delivering 2,480 additional full time equivalent nurses and midwives, in identified key clinical areas. Rollout of Safe Staffing Levels has already commenced in 56 emergency departments across NSW, with over 820 FTE nurses recruited to date.
Providing further support for the roll out of the Safe staffing Levels initiative in dedicated postnatal wards, Ms Donna Garland has been appointed as NSW Health's inaugural Chief Midwife.
Ms Garland was previously the General Manager of the Royal Hospital for Women at Randwick and has dedicated more than thirty years to advocacy and the continued development of the midwifery profession.
The Chief Midwife role was created in response to the NSW Birth Trauma Inquiry - a major review of maternity care in the state. Part of the Inquiry's findings emphasised the need for more respectful, compassionate, trauma-informed and culturally safe care.
The Chief Midwife will play a central role in driving these improvements, as well as leading, coordinating and developing policy and strategies to support the midwifery workforce.
Since 2023 the Minns Labor Government has enhanced maternity services across the state including ten new and expanded Midwifery Group Practices, building a stronger NSW by improving access to maternity care.
In the 2025-26 NSW Budget, the Minns Labor Government invested an additional $83 million to boost maternity care, family care centres and maternal vaccination, preparing the state for the future.
The Minns Labor Government is making the long-term investments into recruiting more staff and building more hospitals to better meet the growing health needs of our community and relieve pressure on our health system. In contrast, the former Coalition government cut healthcare staff, capped their wages and refused to introduce ratios and criticised the Government's recruitment of more frontline health staff.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
"I want to extend a warm welcome to Ms Garland and thank her for her commitment to further enhancing our state's high-quality maternity services.
"Having already spent three decades supporting midwives, women and their families in various positions in NSW Health, I look forward to the important contribution she will make in this new role.
"By beginning the process of implementing Safe Staffing Levels in dedicated postnatal wards, we are providing support to our hardworking midwives that aims to provide a better experience for women and their families.
"Recruiting more health workers won't be easy, but it's what the health system and the community needs."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Women Jodie Harrison:
"Women's health is a key priority for the Minns Labor Government and this is an important step in making sure that women - and their newborns - receive the crucial care they need at one of the most significant time in their lives.
"The appointment of Ms Garland as Chief Midwife supports our vital midwife workforce and will improve the care that women and their families receive."
Quotes attributable to NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM:
"The experiences of women heard throughout the Inquiry highlighted the critical importance of respectful, compassionate, trauma-informed and culturally safe maternity care.
"Ms Garland is a passionate and experienced midwife and health executive, and as Chief Midwife will play a key role in supporting our dedicated and highly valued midwifery workforce across NSW to drive improvements for women and their families."
Quotes attributable to NSW Chief Midwife Donna Garland:
"It is a privilege to be appointed as the inaugural Chief Midwife for NSW. I look forward to working closely with midwives across the state to strengthen midwifery practice, support workforce development, and ensure women and families receive safe, high-quality, evidence-based care.
"Midwives are central to the provision of maternity services and they are trusted clinicians, advocates and leaders in healthcare. I am committed to championing the vital contribution all midwives make daily across NSW."
Quotes attributable to NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association General Secretary Michael Whaites:
"The rollout of Safe Staffing Levels in seven postnatal wards is fantastic news for women, babies and midwives.
"The ratio of one to every three women is crucial to improving workloads, reducing burnout and rebuilding the midwifery workforce. This begins that transformation.
"We look forward to working closely with new Chief Midwife, Donna Garland, and we hope her appointment will help to achieve our shared goal of delivering better outcomes for women and babies, and strengthening the profession at a time when it is facing significant workforce challenges."
