Questions to minister reveal nurses’ deep concerns over staff shortfalls.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard says he has told his ministry to “take a more active role” in ensuring that NSW public health facilities are staffed in an “open and honest way.”

Addressing the NSWNMA annual Conference, Mr Hazzard said LHDs had been making spot checks on hospital staffing numbers in recent weeks.

He said it was “extremely challenging” to try to make sure that every local health district, hospital and multipurpose service followed required policies, awards and industrial agreements.

In 2017, the NSWNMA obtained hospital data that revealed systematic understaffing at levels below the nursing hours per patient day (NHPPD) requirements of the public health award.

As Assistant Secretary Judith Kiejda put it, patients were “blatantly rorted” of more than 40,000 hours of care they were legally entitled to.

At the conference, Mr Hazzard answered questions from union delegates including Wing Besilos from Westmead Hospital branch.

She said management’s manipulation of NHPPD numbers showed the need for a better system of shift-by-shift ratios.

“At the moment nurses don’t have the time to sit and hold their patients’ hands. We don’t have time for the number of patients we have. You mentioned budgets. Maybe you can look at the organisational structures of each LHD and trim them down and put that money into bedside nursing,” she said.

Mr Hazzard replied: “I get frustrated quite regularly about the fact that the 15 LHDs often have different policies, which I’m trying to bring into a more coordinated approach.”

“We’ve been doing a lot of work on that since I became minister, telling them, ‘You’re not totally independent here, guys; you have to be accountable, you have to follow state policies and make sure that issues like staffing are done in an appropriate and transparent way.’”

He said he met regularly with the chair of the board of each LHD and LHD managements.

“I can’t tell you the number of times I have expressed concerns about making sure that there is transparency and integrity about delivering on award conditions for nurses and staff more broadly.”

Most delegates’ questions centred on the government’s refusal to agree to introduce mandatory shift-by-shift ratios.

Mr Hazzard said the government already spent a record amount on health care, which accounted for almost one third of the entire state budget.

He said he met regularly with NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes and Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda.

“Brett and Judith have been extremely strong representing the Association’s views and haven’t taken a backward step in letting the minister know what your views are. I appreciate that.”

Brett Holmes thanked Mr Hazzard for “taking a very different approach to your predecessor to having discussions. We do look forward to continuing to have discussions.”

The government’s position on increased staffing

• Promised 950 extra nurses in the budget
• For eight years have refused to discuss any improvements in ratios
• Have ruled out ratios in EDs

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