Greens candidates Kate da Costa (Gosford), Doug Williamson (Terrigal) and Greens MP and health spokesperson John Kaye met with local Gosford hospital nurses recently to show their support for their campaign to improve nurse- patient ratios.
Dr Kaye said: “One of the key priorities for the Greens is to maintain legally enforceable nurse per patient ratios and extend them to other settings including community nurses, Emergency Departments and other specialist care units.”
“The Greens have always supported the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association’s nurse to patient ratio campaign because the evidence says it leads to improved patient safety and health outcomes.
“Better patient ratios save lives and helps people recover quicker, reducing the pressure on our hospitals.
“It is not just a health and safety issue for nurses. “Patient care is compromised because there are not enough clinical staff to deal with their needs,” said Dr Kaye.
Mr Williamson said: “Nurses play a pivotal role in our public hospital system.” “It is vital that their workloads are reasonable and that their capacity to fulfil their professional obligations is not undermined by under-staffi ng,” said Mr Williamson.
Ms da Costa said: “Health Minister Jillian Skinner frequently boasts that the NSW health system is seeing more patients than ever before without a blowout in waiting lists.”
“The price that is being paid for the Minister’s conjuring trick is soaring stress levels for nurses and other clinical staff.
“It is the quality of care and the health of nurses that are being put at risk by increasing elective surgery patients without more staff.
“The previous Labor government refused to lock nurse to patient ratios into legislation.
“It took a targeted campaign by the nurses’ union, which the Greens supported, to have success in some clinical settings and even then, the ratios were part of the award, not legislation.
“The Greens oppose any attack on nurse to patient ratios and will stand with nurses and their union to extend them further,” said Ms da Costa.
Media release,
16 Feb 2015
John Kaye, Greens MP