A Daley Labor Government will oversee the largest injection of nursing staff into NSW hospitals in a generation with more than 5,500 nurses and midwives to deliver mandated nurse to patient ratios.

Labor’s nurse to patient ratio system will apply to emergency, maternity, medical and surgical and paediatric wards.

A Daley Labor Government, if elected in March, will be the first government in NSW to enshrine in legislation nurse to patient ratios. It will give NSW patients the legal standards already in place in Victoria and Queensland.

NSW Labor Leader, Michael Daley, made the formal announcement of this policy today.

Broadly it will mean:

• One nurse for every three patients in major emergency departments;
• One nurse for every three patients in paediatric wards;
• One midwife for every three mothers in postnatal wards;
• One nurse to each patient in resuscitation beds in adult and paediatric emergency departments; and
• One nurse to every four patients in the day time and one to seven at night in medical and surgical wards. 

There will also be more support for community health nurses including those working in palliative care.

Implementation will begin after the March 2019 election and it will be rolled out throughout Labor’s first term. 

Currently in NSW, there is no requirement for nurse to patient ratios in public hospitals. Labor’s plan will see thousands more nurses in regional hospitals.

Mandating nurse to patient ratios will ensure better patient care and improve understaffing problems that have plagued the public health system under the Liberals and Nationals. 

This will reduce the risk of errors, improve the amount of time each nurse or midwife can spend in patient care, create better workplaces, reduce stress and lead to higher retention of nurses and midwives.

This is about more nurses caring for patients in the NSW health and hospital system.

Only NSW Labor will deliver improved patient care through nurse to patient ratios and rule out the privatisation of public hospital services.

Nurses and midwives do extraordinary work, but they are forced to do their job under extreme pressure.

NSW Labor has a strong record of supporting nurses and will always put schools and hospitals before stadiums.

Labor Candidate for Lane Cove, Andrew Zbik said:

“Whether you have a kid visiting the emergency room or you are expecting a baby, everyone deserves to have the improved standards of care that come from mandating nurse to patient ratios.”

“Only Labor will deliver on more nurses and midwives where they are needed, and unlike the Liberals we will never ever privatise hospitals.”

How Labor will pay for nurse to patient ratios

Labor will help pay for guaranteed nurse to patient ratios with duties on luxury yachts over $200,000 and luxury vehicles over $100,000. 

Unlike our cars, there is currently no stamp duty paid on luxury yachts. Labor's luxury yacht duty is expected to apply to the top three per cent of luxury boats.

Once a luxury yacht is purchased for more than $200,000, a duty of $7,600 and $9 for every $100 above $200,000 will apply. This will rise to $12 for every $100 over $300,000.

A stamp duty of $3 per $100 currently applies to motor vehicles, rising to $5 per $100 for vehicles over $45,000. There are no additional payments for luxury vehicles above $100,000. 

Luxury vehicles sold for more than $100,000 will now attract an additional duty of $7 per $100 above $100,000. This will rise to $9 for every $100 over $150,000.

Together these modest measures will raise approximately $240 million to help pay for the nurse to patient ratios that will improve healthcare in every community across NSW.

It is time for the Liberals and Nationals to come clean on how they will pay for their promises. 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Walt Secord 0418 625 276