The further round of Safe Patient Care Act amendments to legislated minimum nursing and midwifery staff levels in Victorian public hospitals have been introduced into parliament.
The amendments, which were a state government 2022 election commitment, include the following ratio improvements to be implemented throughout 2025 and the first half of 2026:
- postnatal and antenatal night shift ratios will be 1:4 (currently 1:6) in Level 4 (metro load sharing), 5 and 6 services under the Safer Care Victoria Maternity Capability Framework
- level 1 hospital emergency department resuscitation bays will be 1:1 on the morning shift (currently 1:3)
- formalise the ‘accepted practice’ 1:1 ICU ratio for all shifts in level 1 and level 2 ICUs
- team leader (resource nurses) in addition to the prescribed ratios in level 1 and level 2 ICUs
- liaison nurse in addition to prescribed ratios in level 1 and level 2 ICUs
- night duty plus in charge in standalone high dependency units and coronary care units
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas introduced the Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Amendment Bill 2025 to parliament on Tuesday 18 February.
The bill will need to pass in the Legislative Assembly, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly a second time before it receives Royal Assent (formal acceptance by the Governor-General), but will come into effect from 1 July 2025 with affected health services receiving additional funding for the implementation of the commitment. The changes in the Bill will be introduced over a 17-month period with the amendments being fully implemented by 1 July next year.
Members can track the progress of the bill at parliament.vic.gov.au/parliamentary-activity/bills-and-legislation.
Further advice as to the implementation of the improvements and new ratios will be provided to members – particularly those within the impacted health and maternity services.
Neonatal postnatal trial
Ahead of the 2022 election, the state government also promised to trial a registered nurse in a neonatal support role per ward above the postnatal ratio on all shifts in three pilot health services. This trial commenced in late 2024.
The two-year pilot program is placing a dedicated RN on each postnatal/antenatal ward on all shifts, above ratios, to support the care of neonates requiring clinical care. The aim is twofold:
- that providing exposure to the maternity space will encourage RNs to progress into the post-graduate diploma of midwifery and/or NICU – an outcome we have already seen at Western Health as a byproduct of extended team models during COVID
- and providing assistance to midwives, women and sick babies.
The three services at which the trial is taking place are Western Health Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s, University Hospital Geelong and Werribee Mercy. ANMF midwifery members at all three sites informed the position description and role responsibilities of the neonatal / postnatal support nurses, ahead of the trial starting on wards at the end of last year.
