Budget funding will be allocated to recruit more than 137 new full-time equivalent nurses and midwives
07 June 2024
The ACT Government is continuing to invest in the nursing and midwifery workforce to support staff safety and wellbeing and improve patient care.
More than $86 million will be allocated in the 2024–25 ACT Budget to recruit more than 137 new full-time equivalent nurses and midwives.
Nurse-to-patient ratios
The ACT Government is committed to ensuring safe nurse and midwife to patient ratios – something the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has advocated for on behalf of its ACT members.
These are being implemented in a phased approach, with this investment supporting the Government’s commitment to implementing phase two of Mandated Minimum Nurse/Midwife-to-patient ratios.
Nurse and midwife to patient ratios are mandated minimum staffing levels.
These are necessary to support safe nursing and midwifery care and improve working conditions for nurses and midwives.
The implementation of phase two will see both minimum staffing levels on each ward and additional team leaders or support nurses and midwives.
This will ensure there are even more nurses and midwives across frontline hospital services and an appropriate skill mix on each shift to provide the best possible care for patients, including women and babies in maternity services.
In 2022, the ACT Government delivered the first phase of nurse-to-patient ratios across general medical and general surgical medical wards and acute aged care and mental health. This occurred through an investment of $50 million through the 2021–22 Budget.
Phase two ratios will be implemented across Canberra’s public hospitals and Clare Holland House, including:
- maternity services
- neonatal intensive care unit and special care nurseries
- critical care, including intensive care units and emergency departments
- perioperative areas
- subacute mental health units
- cancer services
- rehabilitation units
- palliative care services.
By including ratios across maternity services, including postnatal wards, the ACT will be the second jurisdiction in Australia to implement ratios that count the baby in the ratio as part of minimum staffing levels.
Further support for nurses and midwives
This investment follows the more than $21 million allocated in the mid-year Budget Review to support other elements of the proposed ACT Public Sector Nursing and Midwifery Enterprise Agreement, which is currently being considered by public health system nurses and midwives.
This includes a $2000 education and development boost, an annual $750 professional development allowance, an increase in pay, and a comprehensive review of rostering in nursing and midwifery to improve work patterns and health and wellbeing.
This will help to ensure Canberra has a health workforce that is highly skilled and supported, to continue to deliver great care to the community.
The ACT Government will continue to invest in the nursing and midwifery workforce to ensure staff are supported to deliver the best care to the Canberra community.
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