Labor has promised to employ an extra 840 nurses in public hospital emergency departments and paediatric wards if it wins government.
Opposition Leader Luke Foley made the announcement with federal Labor counterpart Bill Shorten at St George Hospital, where he also confirmed a commitment to rebuild the hospital (see story below).
Mr Shorten attended the media conference to support the state leader, but no federal funding was involved.
Mr Foley said 735 of the new nurses would work in emergency departments and 105 in paediatric wards.
St George and Sutherland hospitals would benefit on both counts, he said.
Mr Foley said an increase in staff numbers was the ‘‘number one request’’ of nurses working in hospitals.
‘‘It will improve patient care, save lives and reduce waiting times,’’ he said.
‘‘The new nurses will be recruited in the first term of government.
‘‘They will be part of the introduction of a nurse-to-patient ratio of one nurse for every three patients into emergency departments and paediatric wards in NSW.
‘‘In addition, there will be one nurse for every resuscitation bed in emergency departments.’’
Mr Foley said the improved nurse-to-patient ratios would be ‘‘enshrined in law’’, so future governments and health officials could not change them without legislation.
He said the move would cost an estimated $96 million over the forward estimates.
Health Minister Jillian Skinner said an extra 840 nursing positions was not even a quarter of the number recruited by the Baird government in the last four years.
The costings did not add up, and the promise was at odds with the position taken by previous Labor health ministers, who questioned the safety and efficacy of nurse to patient ratios, she said.
Mrs Skinner said the Baird government did not support nurse to patient ratios, but was committed to the nursing hours per patient day formula, to which the former Labor government had signed up.
She said the nursing hours per patient day formula provided more flexibility in staffing, meaning services were more closely aligned with patients’s needs.
‘‘It allows nurse and hospital managers the flexibility to allocate nursing hours in a way that matches the busiest times and patient needs,” she said.
REBUILDING PLEDGE
Labor and the Coalition are ‘‘singing from the same hymn book’’ over the rebuilding of St George Hospital.
Luke Foley said, under a Labor government, a $307 million upgrade would be completed by the end of 2017.
Premier Mike Baird made the same commitment last month.
It’s not a case of Labor playing ‘‘catch up’’, because former Opposition Leader John Robertson made a $300 million pledge last year.
What is significant is the budget allocation and completion date promised by both sides are now identical.
The $307 million upgrade will enable extra storeys to be added above the new emergency department to house:
■ New intensive care, high dependency and cardiac intensive care units;
■ Operating theatre expansion as a purpose built critical care floor.
■ Inpatient ward expansion and extra acute inpatient beds.
■ Plant and central sterilising services department.
What do you think of Labor’s health promises?
