Editorial

SHAYE Candish

GENERAL SECRETARY

A major boost to our ratios campaign

The NSW ALP opposition has made a significant step forward by pledging to introduce an enforceable, shift-by-shift safe staffing system for nurses and midwives if elected in next year’s state election.

As The Lamp goes to press our campaign for shift by shift ratios in NSW has gained serious momentum. NSW Labor has committed to adopt the principles that underpin ratios into the award. This means the ALP, the Greens and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers’ Party now all support a mandated safe staffing ratios. The NSWNMA has been talking with all the political parties as well as the government over the last few months highlighting the dire state of our public health system and advocating our solutions based on your analysis of what’s happening at the frontline. The ALP has now responded and committed to important parts of our 2022 claim. If they are elected in the March election they say they will implement our claims in certain areas, in a phased approach: • 1 nurse: 3 patients in Emergency Departments • 1 nurse: 1 patient in ICUs and adherence to the latest professional standards outlined by the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses including Access Nurses • 1 midwife: 3 mothers in post natal maternity and a full review of Birthrate Plus to ensure babies count • 3/3/3 (am:pm:nd) nurses as a minimum in our Multi-Purpose Services where there is a 24/7 Emergency Department, with at least 2 RNs and the requirement for staff to be FLECC/ENEC trained. • All existing Nursing Hours Per Patient Day wards will convert to a shift-by-shift system. For those at 6 NHPPD, for example, a minimum of 1:4am, 1:4pm, 1:7nd will apply, with an additional nurse designated as “in charge of shift”/”clinical coordinator” on at least two shifts. Assistants in Nursing will be additional to the minimum ratio. This is a highly promising start towards much needed reforms to our public health system but there are areas that still need to be addressed. Areas from our 2022 ratios claim not covered by NSW Labor’s announcement include: paediatric and mental health critical care (PICU and MICUs), paediatrics, NICU, perioperative services, community and community mental health, short stay wards, drug and alcohol, outpatient clinics, specials and CNE/CMEs. So while Labor’s announcement is a major step forward by one of the major parties and a significant boost to our campaign there is still a lot of work to be done. Before the 2019 NSW election Labor made a similar commitment to ratios but that didn’t translate into a win for our health system when they lost the election. Their new policy will only translate into a concrete result – the implementation of shift-by-shift ratios – if Labor is elected in the March election. The Perrotet government still has an opportunity to support our claim for shift-by-shift ratios, but as yet, has not committed to this reform. The people of NSW should not have to await the outcome of an election. The government could, and should, act today and we welcome the opportunity to talk with them about this. There is something we must be absolutely clear about. We have only got to this point because of the actions that members and branches have taken so far. By taking multiple statewide strikes, by speaking out, by meeting with local MPs and writing open letters, you have helped NSW move towards a better public health system. Your industrial action, your fantastic social media skills, your local disputes and your engagement with the media have allowed us to go into talks with the different parties with your power behind us. But we need to keep building on this momentum. Let’s maintain the intensity of our campaign right through to the March election. n

By taking multiple statewide strikes, by speaking out, by meeting with local MPs and writing open letters you have helped NSW move towards a better public health system. But we need to keep building on this momentum.