NSW govt expands health workforce support to regional areas

Port Macquarie and Lismore Base Hospitals are spearheading the implementation of new Safe Staffing Levels in regional New South Wales (NSW).

This initiative, part of a larger government commitment to boost healthcare staffing, aims to improve patient care and support frontline workers.

Port Macquarie Base Hospital is currently recruiting approximately 13 full-time equivalent nurses to meet the new staffing requirements. The Safe Staffing Levels mandate a one-to-one nursing care ratio for Emergency Department (ED) resuscitation beds and a one-to-three ratio for ED treatment spaces and short-stay unit beds on all shifts.

Regional Health Minister Ryan Park emphasised the importance of this rollout: “The Safe Staffing Levels initiative involves the introduction of minimum staffing levels on every shift, which will result in more nurses employed in hospitals right across the state.”

The implementation is being overseen by the Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce, which includes representatives from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association, NSW Health, and local health districts. Minister Park added, “Importantly, this reform will deliver improved nursing numbers to provide care for patients while supporting our frontline healthcare staff.”

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to support the health workforce, including wage increases, additional paramedic recruitment, and study subsidies for health workers.

Labor Spokesperson for Port Macquarie, Cameron Murphy, highlighted the local impact: “This initiative aims to support the attraction and retention of health staff in these regional areas to help ensure local patients have better access to safe, high-quality care.”

The Safe Staffing Levels rollout will continue in phases over the next three years, with the experiences from these initial sites informing future implementations.

Ritchelle Drilon

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Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.

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