In a joint media statement from Luke Foley MP Leader of the Opposition and Leanne Atkinson, NSW Labor Candidate for Bega it advises that a Foley Labor Government will deliver hundreds more nurses in regional NSW through new nurse to patient ratios. In the statement Leanne Atkinson says "This will bring hundreds more nurses to regional hospitals and bring their staffing levels up to city ones. "If NSW Labor is elected, the change to the policy will see medical and surgical wards have a ratio of 1 nurse to 4 patients for all morning and afternoon shifts. It is a change away from a nurse hours system to a nurse to patient ration system where at any time of the day, on every shift, patients will know exactly what the staffing levels must be. "Currently, there is a 1 to 5 ratio in those wards. It builds on the earlier announcement from Labor"
"At South East Regional Hospital, Bateman’s Bay District Hospital and Moruya District Hospital it’ll take the pressure off staff and patients in emergency departments and provide more care for children in paediatric wards. It is designed to ensure that health care is no longer post code dependent.
"A Labor government will employ hundreds more nurses in “B” and “C” group hospitals across NSW. This will improve patient care in about 60 separate hospitals – most of them outside Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle. “This expansion adds to what we have already announced – health care should not be post code dependent. We will employ hundreds of nurses for city and country hospitals.’ Luke Foley
NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley made the announcement at the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association annual conference. "Mr. Foley said nurses and midwives do extraordinary work but were under severe pressure. They are overworked and under resourced due to a lack of support from the Berejiklian Government.
"Numerous studies show that higher nurse to patient ratios save lives as there is a clear link between higher staff levels and improved outcomes for patients. “This is about improving patient care. We have a health and hospital system under enormous pressure. By expanding our commitment to better nurse-to-patient ratios to regional and rural NSW we can give every patient in the State the best possible care and attention.” NSW Shadow Health Minister Walt Secord
"Nurse to patient ratios reduce errors, improve the amount of time each nurse can spend in patient care, create better workplaces, reduce stress and lead to higher retention of nurses and midwives."
"During the 2015 election campaign, NSW Labor announced its policy of new nurse to patient ratios in emergency departments and paediatric wards. Today’s announcement builds on that commitment.
"NSW Labor’s full and detailed policy will be released closer to the March 2019 election and will be fully costed. Victoria and Queensland have already enshrined nurse-to-patient ratios in law. “Our nurses do astonishing work given their workload. But we tend to forget that while they achieve remarkable results they are only human. This policy will give them the resources they need to continue their work – caring for the sick and most vulnerable in our community.’ concluded Labor Candidate for Bega Leanne Atkinson
Above: Labor Candidate for Bega Leanne Atkinson
