NSW: Nursing changes won't compromise patients: NSW Health

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-2008
NSW: Nursing changes won't compromise patients: NSW Health

SYDNEY, Dec 19 AAP - Changes to the staffing mix in public hospitals is about efficient
use of resources without compromising patient care, says NSW Health.

Registered nurses will be replaced by less qualified staff as the NSW government orders
hospitals to save $32 million over the next four years, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The ratio of assistants in nursing, who have no minimum level of education, will increase
to 50 per cent of the combined registered and enrolled nurse numbers.

NSW Health deputy director general of strategic development Richard Matthews said the
department had the responsibility to look at every ward, but the changes were particularly
focused on rural hospitals.

"In some of our facilities, particularly but not exclusively in rural areas, the services
that we provide have changed over time," he told ABC Radio.

"Because of a lack of aged care facilities, some of our hospitals have actually become
de facto aged care facilities.

"Quite clearly, the care that is required by those patients is quite different to the
care that is required in an acute medical or surgical ward."

He said the mix of nurses had never remained constant in hospitals and patients would
not be compromised.

"They will have registered nurses but it is our responsibility to make sure that the
staffing mix leads to the most efficient use of the resources that are given to us and
it is our responsibility to do that without compromising care and safety and that is what
we intend to do," he said.

But a study commissioned by NSW Health last year found increasing the proportion of
less qualified staff led to a range of complications.

"We do have measures to make certain that the quality of care is not affected and that
is about an appropriate staff mix," Dr Matthews said.

"I think most people would accept that we need to use our resources efficiently."

NSW Nurses Association general secretary Brett Holmes said the union would try to ensure
the needs of each hospital were assessed individually.

"I think the department of health has an absolute obligation to make sure there are
sufficient registered nurses to deal with that sort of traumatic unexpected situation
and I'm not confident they are committed to doing that," he said.

AAP kd/wjf/it/cdh

KEYWORD: HEALTH NSW

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