ON the beat PAGE 6
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june 5 2013 www.newcastlepost.com.au
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rising tensions Tensions between Lake Macquarie Council officers and lake-side property owners reached boiling point at Marks Point Bowling Club last Wednesday night as local residents gathered to air their grievances about plans to address rising sea levels. Residents heard talks from local real estate agent, John Russell, insurance broker, Ricky Roberts, members from Central Coast group, Coastal Residents Incorporated...
Workers demand same nurse-patient ratios as city hospitals
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TOP OF THE TREE
Blacksmiths Public takes out national prize Page 5 Nurses and midwives protest outside Tim Owen’s office on Friday, demanding better nurse-to-patient ratios
Amelia Parrott
N
urses and midwives gathered outside Newcastle MP Tim Owen’s Hunter Street electoral office on Friday in protest of what they call poor nurse-to-patient ratios in regional hospitals across the state. The demonstration was one of more than 40 state-wide organised by the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) in response
to the O’Farrell Government’s refusal to extend mandated minimum nurse-to-patient ratios to seriously ill children in paediatric wards and neonatal intensive care units, as well as in community nursing and emergency nursing and critical care areas in rural areas. NSWNMA Newcastle branch president Clare Bolton said patients in rural hospitals are receiving a less care than those in metropolitan areas and that the State Government was refusing to discuss the issue. “What we’re asking for is the same
ratios as all the big city hospitals to be rolled out right across the State. “At the moment if you are in a small hospital in a rural area you get about one to one-and-a-half less nursing hours per patient per day than you do in a big city hospital. “For the safety of our patients, we want the Government to mandate minimum staffing levels.” In response, Mr Owen said ratios did not apply to the NSW Health system and that the current formula allowed for greater staffing flexibility. “The current award – negotiated
by the former Labor Government and honoured by the Coalition – instead agreed on a formula based on ‘nursing hours per patient day’,” he said. “The formula is the same for regional and metro hospitals.... and provides staffing flexibility and therefore services are more closely aligned with patients’ needs.” Mr Owen said his door is always open to listen to the views of his constituents, including health care workers. @amelia_parrott
brits are back The Lions return to settle an old score Page 48
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