The Andrews Government record

Andrews Government’s first Budget provides $560m towards building and expanding hospitals including building a dedicated Western Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and expanding facilities at Casey, Werribee Mercy, Ballarat Base and Angliss hospitals.

First Budget includes $118 million for mental health.

In line with the Andrews Government-commissioned Travis Review of Victorian public hospital bed numbers, $200 million is included in the first Budget to increase hospital capacity, so hospitals can admit 60,000 extra patients across metropolitan and regional areas. Sixty million dollars is allocated for elective surgery to reduce waiting times.

Having signed up to the ANMF (Vic Branch) 10-point plan on occupational violence and aggression prior to the November 2014 election, the Andrews Government establishes an OVA taskforce, which includes for the first time ANMF (Vic Branch) representation.

Having committed to legislated nurse/midwife: patient ratios prior to the election, the Andrews Government’s Safe Patient Care Act passes the Victorian Parliament, making ratios law.

Legislation is passed creating 150-metre ‘safe zones’ around abortion clinics, for the physical and mental safety of women and health workers.

$40m for infrastructure to prevent occupational violence and aggression in Victorian hospitals across metropolitan and regional Victoria. By July 2018, more than 60 healthcare facilities had received funding for 217 projects.

Launches ‘Ice training for frontline workers’ education package to assist nurses and midwives caring for ice-affected patients as part of the government’s $45.5 million Ice Action Plan. Government-funded seminars are delivered by the ANMF in partnership with Turning Point in metropolitan and regional Victoria.

The government announces Lend Lease will build the new $200 million Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital, expected to open in Sunshine in 2019.

Victoria became the first state in Australia to legalise access to medicinal cannabis, responding to requests from patients and their families.

The Andrews Government releases its second Budget, with a record $2.45 billion boost to the health system, including $169 million to redevelop Shepparton Hospital and $61.3 million for major works at Footscray and Sunshine hospitals.

The Andrews Government announces the largest ever revamp of public aged care, including psycho-geriatric care, with a $55.57 million, 90-bed public aged care facility expected to be completed at St George’s Hospital, Kew, by May 2019. Keeps its election promise to end the previous Coalition government’s sell-off of public aged care facilities.

2016–20 Public Sector EBA – ANMF members vote to accept Andrews Government’s wages offer which will mean net pay parity with NSW. First time in 20 years that agreement is reached without taking industrial action and sets the bar for wage increases and outcomes in private sector EBA negotiations. Pay increases of 4-26 per cent are scheduled for April 2019 alone.

The 2016-20 public sector EBA agreement introduces 20 days’ paid family violence leave, more than in any other state.

OVA taskforce report released, with action plan including training for frontline workers, a public awareness campaign and reviewing code grey responses, including a timeline for implementation over 2016 and 2017. The taskforce also endorses the ANMF’s 10-point plan.

A new peak state authority, Safer Care Victoria, opens to oversee and support health services to provide safe, high quality care following a review of hospital safety and quality.

The government establishes an independent and impartial statutory body, the Health Complaints Commissioner, to resolve complaints about non-registered health providers.

ANMF members vote to approve the 2016 public mental health EBA which includes an historic 125.8 additional mental health nurse EFT.

The government announces it will take over funding of the Nursing and Midwifery Health Program Victoria, securing the face-to-face, personalised counselling and support model the program provides to Victoria’s nurses and midwives across the state.

Announces allocation of $81.1 million for maternal and child health and parenting support reforms, including $37.7 million to expand the Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Service to support children up to the age of three, $11million to fund MCH visits to women and children at risk of family violence and $5.2 million to provide nurses with extra family violence training. Seventy seven nurses were awarded scholarships of up to $10,000 for MCH post-graduate study in 2018.

The government officially opens the new 230-bed Monash Children’s Hospital.

In the 2017-18 Budget the government announces $162.7 million to upgrade and expand inpatient infrastructure at the Northern Hospital, $69.8 million for the Austin and Royal Melbourne hospitals, $63.2 million to upgrade the Monash Medical Centre and $50 million to plan the Footscray Hospital redevelopment. There is $215 million to implement the Better, Safer Care reforms. Funding to improve environmental performance of hospitals with a waste education project role.

Announces it will double its investment in the Health Service Violence Prevention Fund, adding $20 million to an initial $20 million investment for projects to prevent occupational violence and aggression in hospitals, such as CCTV, access control doors, lighting and security systems. Behavioural assessment rooms will be built to manage aggressive emergency department patients at five hospitals, with existing rooms to be upgraded.

Launches public awareness campaign with the message ‘Violence against healthcare workers is never OK’.

After a sector-wide consultation, updated Code Grey standards for all Victorian hospitals are announced.

The Premier, Daniel Andrews, and Families and Children Minister Jenny Mikakos attend the launch of the ANMF (Vic Branch)/VAMCHN book marking the centenary of the Maternal and Child Health Service.

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act passes Victorian Parliament offering choice in death to terminally ill Victorians experiencing extreme suffering. ANMF (Vic Branch) and the majority of its members supported the Bill and ANMF is being consulted as part of its implementation.

The Andrews Government announces an additional $320m on top of $150m to build the Victorian Heart Hospital in partnership with Monash Health and Monash University.

After a successful trial, the Inter-Professional Graduate Program for Nurse Paramedics is launched, enabling graduates of double nursing/paramedicine degree to work as both nurses and paramedics.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy offers hope to more than 200 nurses facing redundancy after Healthscope’s shock closure of its Geelong Private and Cotham Private hospitals. She says 117 job opportunities within Barwon Health and metropolitan facilities will be identified and Healthscope nurses will be given preference.

The government announces that Victorians found guilty of assaulting emergency services workers, including nurses in emergency departments, would face up to five years jail under revamped mandatory sentencing laws.

The government’s 2018-19 Budget allocates $172 million to allow free tuition for 30 priority TAFE courses, including the Diploma of Nursing.

A trial of a medically supervised drug injecting room begins in North Richmond, aiming to save lives, refer people experiencing addiction to health and support services and reduce ambulance call-outs. At least 12 lives were saved in the first week of operation.

ANMF runs the first of many Andrews Government-funded alcohol and other drugs (AOD) workshops for nurses and midwives in metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy tables a revised Safe Patient Care Act containing new and improved ratios in the Victorian Parliament. The Premier promises to deliver a $50m Nursing and Midwifery Workforce Development Fund if elected in November.

Minister for Ageing Martin Foley turns a sod as construction begins on a new 90-bed public aged care facility in Kew.

ANMF delivers first Andrews Government-funded Comprehensive Health Assessment of Older Persons workshop for public sector nurses.

Announced an extra 120 beds, a new maternity ward, obstetrics ward, women’s clinic, paediatric ward, oncology ward, a special care nursery, two new operating theatres, 13 new emergency beds and 50 mental health beds for Frankston Hospital in a $562 redevelopment.