A Foley Labor Government will deliver more nurses at Wyong Hospital as part of Labor’s announcement to bring regional hospital staffing levels in line with city staffing levels, according to Member for Swansea, Yasmin Catley.
“A Labor Government will employ hundreds more nurses in ‘B’ and ‘C’ group hospitals across NSW, if elected,” Catley said. “ Today’s announcement will see increase nurse to patient ratios at Wyong Hospital,” she added. NSW Opposition Leader, Luke Foley, made the announcement at the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association annual conference in July. Foley said nurses and midwives do extraordinary work but were under severe pressure. “They are overworked and under resourced. “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,” Foley said. “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.
“NSW Labor’s full and detailed policy will be released closer to the March 2019 election and will be fully costed,” he said. “We will employ hundreds of nurses for city and country hospitals,” Foley said. Catley echoed his sentiments and said Labor would improve outcomes for patients and nurses at Wyong Hospital. “When the Government tried to privatise Wyong Hospital, there was an outpouring of heartfelt stories about the incredible work that the nurses at Wyong Hospital do, caring for the sick and most vulnerable in the community. “We can sometimes forget that, while they achieve incredible results, nurses are only human, and I’m thrilled that today’s announcement will mean that the nurses at Wyong Hospital will be getting the resources they need to continue doing the important work that they do,” Catley said.
Source, Media release, Jul 27 Yasmin Catley MP