While Maitland members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association have welcomed the re-elected Baird government’s efforts to deliver on its election commitments in the budget, important measures to improve the delivery of safe patient care (nurse to patient ratios) have been left out.

“A key element of the health budget expenditure is a much needed $1.4 billion investment in public hospital infrastructure, however, hospitals are simply empty buildings if they don’t have the nurses, midwives and other medical, allied health and support staff to care for patients,” NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes said.

“The government has confirmed it’s expecting an increase of 90,000 emergency department attendances during the next financial year, or growth of 3.3 per cent, yet there’s still no guaranteed commitment for a ratio of one nurse for every three patients in our emergency departments.”

The Baird Government has confirmed at least 2100 extra full-time equivalent nurses and midwives will be employed during the next four years.

“This is almost half the number the government reportedly recruited during its first term of government. An extra 40,000 patients are expected to receive inpatient care in the next year alone, so we know nurses and midwives will be stretched to the limit,” Mr Holmes said.

A further $9.3 million dollars has been allocated for 360 full-time equivalent new specialised nursing, midwifery and support staff by 2019.