Children’s Hospital at Westmead (CHW) in Australia has boosted its emergency department (ED) with the addition of more than 19 full-time equivalent (FTE) nurses, as part of the New South Wales (NSW) government’s Safe Staffing Levels initiative.
This recruitment drive is aimed at delivering staffing reform across the state’s hospitals.
Go deeper with GlobalData
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said: “Safe staffing is one of the most significant reforms in the way our hospitals have been staffed in decades.
“Reaching Safe Staffing Levels in the Emergency Department at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead is a significant accomplishment and reflects the Minns Labor government’s commitment to continuing to improve service delivery.”
The staffing increase at CHW will ensure a one-to-one nurse-to-patient ratio for occupied ED resuscitation beds during all shifts.
Additionally, one nurse will be available for every three generally occupied ED treatment venues and short-stay unit beds.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce, comprising leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA), NSW Health, and local health districts, oversees this initiative.
The first phase of the Safe Staffing Levels initiative started in level five and six EDs, catering to the most critically ill patients.
The plan is to expand the programme progressively to other areas in a phased manner over four years, with a commitment to 2,480 FTE positions.
The NSW government is undertaking various measures to support the health workforce further.
These encompass financing the equivalent of 1,112 FTE nurse and midwife positions on an ongoing basis, removing the wages cap, and presenting the largest pay rise for nurses and other healthcare staff in more than ten years.
The government has also begun deploying 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural, and remote areas.
Last month, the NSW government unveiled reforms for general practitioners (GPs) to make attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment more accessible and cost-effective.
