NSW health minister hopes the government/union MOU will boost recruitment and retention.
NSW health minister, Ryan Park, has described the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the state government and the NSWNMA on the imple-mentation of safe staffing levels in public hospitals as the start of the greatest change to hospital staffing in 15 years.
The MOU sets out an agreement for both parties to work together to develop a process and timeframe to implement safe staffing levels, which will be included in the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award.
The MOU also includes principles concerning data sharing and access to information.
Mr Park told the NSWNMA Annual Conference that staffing reform would take a staged approach, starting with emergency departments.
He hoped it would lead to “greater recruitment, retention and enjoyment for staff right across your whole system”.
“It is beginning the journey of changing the way our hospitals are properly staffed, so we’ve got transparency in staffing, so we’ve got certainty in staffing, and so you can come to work knowing there will be enough people on your shift.
“What keeps me up at night is not projects running late or equipment not working – though they are important – (rather) it is the challenges we face around the workforce.
“It’s not just about recruiting junior nurses – yes, they are important – but we also have to keep the ones we have.
“Part of my determination to see safe staffing rolled out as quickly as possible (and yes, I know there’s going to be bumps along the road) is to make sure the workforce have the confidence that we are focused on them.
“To say this has been a challenging process is an understatement. You have to remember we have a bureaucracy that has worked for 12 years under a Coalition government, and it takes time.”
Retention is paramount
Mr Park said he had been making unannounced visits to hospitals at least once a week at different hours of the day, to speak with staff and find out what was happening first hand.
“It is an opportunity to see how the system is happening in real time and to learn, question, debate, argue and agitate back with NSW Health about what I see and learn.
“This week I had a couple of hours with your state council, going through questions and issues they raised with me on your behalf.
“I want to thank them for that time … Engaging with the workforce is something more than just ticking the box; it is something I believe in deeply and something I’m committed to, and I can’t do my job without it.
“I need to see the concerns, the challenges and, to be quite frank, the problems that you face, and get them fixed.”
He said he was “acutely aware” that nurses were leaving the NSW system to take more attractive jobs north and south of the state border.
He added, “One of the reasons I’m so committed to safe staffing is because I think it is also a retention policy.”
He pointed to the state government’s creation of a Special Commission of Inquiry into healthcare funding.
He said he was determined the inquiry would result in the return of money to the workforce and service delivery.
In answering a question from the floor following his speech, Mr Park said he was not happy with the implementation and rollout of the Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme and had made this clear to the recently appointed Deputy Secretary for Regional Health, Luke Sloan.
The NSW Government recently doubled its cash incentive for healthcare workers in rural areas to $20,000, saying the previous offer of up to $10,000 had failed to fill critical gaps in the rural health workforce.