On 1 April, the further round of Safe Patient Care Act amendments to legislated minimum nursing and midwifery staff levels in Victorian public hospitals passed the Victorian 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 now just needs Royal Assent (formal acceptance by the Governor-General) before coming into effect (from 1 July 2025) with affected health services receiving additional funding for the implementation of the commitment. The amendments will be introduced over a 17-month period.
Members can track the progress at legislation.vic.gov.au/bills/safe-patient-care-nurse-patient-and-midwife-patient-ratios-amendment-bill-2025.
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.
