As a result of our ratios campaign, including four statewide strikes in 2022, the NSW Labor Party went to the March 2023 state election pledging to deliver safe staffing in public health.
Labor promised staffing ratios in five specialities – emergency departments, intensive care units, postnatal maternity units, and multi-purpose services – and to convert current nursing hours on wards to shift-by-shift ratios.
The Labor government’s first budget in September allocated almost $1 billion for ratios.
This is a step in the right direction: it will fund the continuation of 1112 temporary nursing and midwifery positions created by the previous government, plus 1200 additional nursing and midwifery positions.
However, this funding will not create enough positions to staff ratios in every hospital, ward and unit within the designated specialties between now and the next election in 2027.
NSWNMA members will therefore have to push Labor to fund a lot more nursing and midwifery positions in next year’s budget.
Branch Beat reports on early moves by John Hunter Hospital (JHH) branch to win political support for more investment in nursing and midwifery hospital safe staffing.
MP links expedite branch message to minister
Over the years, the NSWNMA branch at JHH in Newcastle has built links with politicians who represent communities served by the hospital.
These links allowed branch secretary Rachel Hughes to act fast when the Association called on members to lobby MPs over inadequate state government funding of the promised ratios.
Within an hour of getting the Association’s call for action, Rachel had emailed all five local MPs, setting out the branch’s concerns and requesting meetings.
“All replied promptly saying they would be happy to meet us,” Rachel said. “We are in regular contact with them and they are all very approachable.”
John Hunter Hospital is in the electorate of Wallsend, represented by Labor’s Sonia Hornery. It also serves the electorates of Newcastle (Tim Crakanthorp – ALP), Port Stephens (Kate Washington – ALP), Lake Macquarie (Greg Piper – Independent) and Charlestown (Jodie Harrison – ALP).
At the time of writing, branch reps had met with four of the five MPs (Kate Washington had to postpone her meeting).
First up was Tim Crakanthorp, who met Rachel and NSWNMA member and midwife Gaye McCauley.
“It was important that midwifery be represented at the meeting to give a broad picture of the staffing situation,” Rachel said.
“When we told Tim the budget allocation would not cover the four-year rollout of ratios, he asked us to check our figures.
“I confirmed the numbers (with NSWNMA head office) and emailed Tim to advise him they were correct. He then contacted the office of the health minister, Ryan Park.
“We also spoke to Sonia Hornery, who conveyed our concerns to Ryan Park as well.”
Invite to parliament
“Meanwhile, Greg Piper, who is speaker of the Legislative Assembly, invited the branch to visit parliament house.
“We are a big, active branch of the NSWNMA and we work closely with other smaller branches around us, so they can get their perspectives and concerns across as well.
“We invited Waratah mental health branch and branches at Belmont and Maitland hospitals to join our delegation, but Belmont and Maitland reps were not available.”
Delegate Claire Bolton, steward Linda Mobbs, Waratah mental health branch rep Sharon Mestern, and Rachel, made the trip to Sydney.
“We did a tour of parliament house, sat in on question time, had a meeting with Greg Piper and we also met Jodie Harrison, the Charlestown MP,” Rachel said.
“Both were very interested to hear our stories and our concerns and offered to help.”
Just three weeks after the NSWNMA branch’s initial emails to MPs, Minister Park and Sonia Hornery MP visited JHH to meet the branch.
Broadening the message
The JHH branch ensured the minister heard from a broad range of nursing specialities and a wide geographical area.
At the meeting were Kiri Oswald (Waratah Mental Health branch), Monique Murray (Maitland Hospital branch), Laurel Kibble (Maitland Mental Health branch), Matthew Rispen and Cathy McDonald (Belmont Hospital branch), Michelle Smith (Child and Family Community Health branch) and Daniel Mackay, Michelle Birkett and Rachel from the JHH branch.
“The minister acknowledged that this year’s budget allocation is not enough to cover ratios in all the designated areas,” Rachel said.
“He said it is a start, but that the government has no more money this year and will try to provide funding for more nurses in next year’s budget.
“I emphasised that nurses would continue to leave the profession in droves if they don’t get a date for the rollout of ratios.”
Collecting evidence
Branch reps went to the meetings armed with evidence of severe short staffing – printouts of dozens of text messages and emails urgently seeking nurses to plug gaps in the previous fortnight’s rosters.
“We had 18 pages of printouts for just three areas of the hospital: ED, ICU, and theatres.
“The whole hospital is currently 90 FTE down and resignations are flowing in fast.
“We wanted to show the MPs why we are so upset with the small number of positions covered by the budget announcement – we experience these staff shortages on a daily basis. A couple of the MPs said the printouts were a real eye-opener that strengthened our case.”