[Greens-Media] Skinner’s inaction forces nurses and midwives to take action for patient safety

[John Kaye]

Skinner’s inaction forces nurses and midwives to take action for patient safety

Media Release: 24 July 2013

Public hospitals and health facilities have been thrown into crisis because the O'Farrell government has refused to respond to the evidence that providing sufficient numbers of nurses is essential to protecting patient safety, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

Dr Kaye said: "Nurses and midwives did not choose to take industrial action today. They had it forced on them by a government that is in denial about the consequences for patients whose care is compromised because there are not enough clinical staff to deal with their needs.

"The previous Labor government refused to lock nurse to patient ratios into legislation. It took a targeted campaign by the union to have success in some clinical settings and even then the ratios were part of the award, not legislation.

"It's clear the O'Farrell government wants to wind back the clock and get rid of any mention of ratios, despite the evidence that they improve patient outcomes and save lives.

"Health Minister Jillian Skinner is hiding behind the increased number of nurses since the Coalition came to power, even though many of those positions are more about growth in the number of people accessing public health services.

"No person visiting a hospital can feel they are getting the best quality care until all political parties listen to the evidence and agree to lock in nurse patient ratios across all institutions and all types of wards.

"By refusing to genuinely negotiate with the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, the Department of Health and the Minister have deliberately offended the professional integrity of the public sector workforce.

"While the Minister says that her government values the nurses and midwives who form the key ingredient of front line health care, she is not prepared to listen to their case for ratios or understand that their capacity to fulfil their professional obligations is being undermined by under-staffing.

"Nurses are taking action to protect their patients and to ensure that their workloads are reasonable.

"The O'Farrell government is prepared to let patients go without the best possible treatment and in some cases die. They are allowing nurses to injure themselves and leave the profession because Treasury is determined to tighten up on the health budget.

"The Greens thank nurses and midwives for their action today and call on the NSW government to engage in genuine negotiations that respect their pivotal role in the state's health care system,” Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455