Recruitment will shortly get underway for additional nurses in the Gosford Hospital emergency department as the Minns Labor Government continues delivering on its promise to rollout a major staffing reform.
Gosford Hospital is among the next 12 hospitals across metropolitan and regional NSW to introduce Safe Staffing Levels in emergency departments, with the implementation of the reform set to improve the experience of patients and boost retention and capability of staff in public hospitals.
The Safe Staffing Levels initiative involves the introduction of minimum staffing levels on every shift, which will result in more nurses employed in hospitals right across the state and better care for patients.
The staffing boost of frontline healthcare workers at Gosford Hospital will enable a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied emergency department resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse to three generally occupied ED treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts.
The announcement will bring the total number of hospitals commencing the roll-out of Safe Staffing Levels to 16 across the state following the earlier announcement of Liverpool, Royal North Shore, Lismore and Port Macquarie Hospitals.
The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce, which includes key leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA), NSW Health, and local health districts, will continue to work through the preparations to determine the FTE required to deliver Safe Staffing Levels at Gosford Hospital over coming weeks and months.
Phase one of Safe Staffing Levels is initially commencing in Level 5 and Level 6 EDs, which treat the most critically ill patients, and will then be progressively implemented across other hospitals and departments. The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce will continue to oversee the rollout of the government's commitment of 2480 FTE over four years (to June 2027) towards staffing levels.
Implementing Safe Staffing Levels is just one of a range of measures the Minns Labor Government is embracing to build a supported and capable health workforce, including:
- saving 1,112 nurse and midwife positions by making the roles permanent;
- abolishing the wages cap and delivering the highest pay increase in over a decade for nurses and other health workers;
- beginning to roll out 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural and remote communities; and
- introducing the health worker study subsidies scheme.
Minister for Health Ryan Park said:
"The Safe Staffing Levels initiative involves the introduction of minimum staffing levels on every shift, which will result in more nurses employed in hospitals right across the state.
"Importantly, this reform will deliver improved nursing numbers to provide care for patients while supporting our frontline healthcare staff. "
Minister for the Central Coast David Harris said:
"It is pleasing that Gosford Hospital is receiving this funding to recruit more nurses to ensure its busy emergency department is well staffed.
"The growing population of the Central Coast is putting increasing pressure on our region's health services and this funding will go a long way to ensuring Central Coast patients continue to receive the care they need and our frontline staff are supported."
Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said:
"It is fantastic news that Gosford Hospital has been identified in the next tranche of hospitals for the roll of Safe Staffing Levels in our emergency departments, with recruitment to get underway shortly.
"As the Central Coast community continues to grow and age, it is so important that we ensure minimum staffing levels on every shift, ensuring that nurses are supported in continuing to provide world-class care."
Member for The Entrance David Mehan said:
"I'm proud to be part of a Labor government improving public health on the Central Coast."
