Exhausted Doctors and Nurses
Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes: I ask the Attorney General, on behalf of the Minister for Health, the following question without notice: Is the Minister aware of a recent survey conducted by the Workplace Research Centre at the University of Sydney that which examined the views and experiences of doctors and nurses about their current working conditions? Is the Minister aware of their findings, which stated:
Around 60% of nurses and doctors in NSW public hospitals have seriously considered leaving the system in the past 12 months. While 50% of Australian workers report that more and more is expected of them each year at work, among NSW public sector doctors the proportion was 80% and among nurses a staggering 95%.
Given these alarming statistics in combination with the public health system’s chronic underfunding, can the Minister indicate what specific arrangements and programs are in place in order to improve the working conditions and morale of our doctors and nurses?
The Hon. John Hatzistergos: I will refer the matter to the Minister for Health.
Deferred answer to Exhausted Doctors and Nurses
On 13 May 2008 the Attorney General, representing the Minister for Health, was asked a question without notice by Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes concerning a hospital staff survey. The Minister for Health has provided the following response:
NSW Health is making a significant investment in health workforce initiatives focused on increasing workforce numbers and improving distribution of health professions particularly in outer metropolitan, regional and rural New South Wales.
Despite an international workforce shortage, significant investments by New South Wales in attraction and retention strategies have met with substantial success.
Medical Workforce
Between June 2003 and June 2007 the number of salaried medical staff working in the public hospital system has increased by 19.7% with the number of Staff Specialists increasing by 22.2% and junior doctors increasing by 26.3%.
Over the past two years New South Wales Health has invested $28.7 million in post- graduate medical training. This investment continues over the next four years with a total package of $60 million allocated.
In 2007/08 New South Wales Health committed $15 million in recurrent funding for programs aimed at strengthening post graduate medical education and training.
Nursing Workforce
The Government’s support for nurses and midwives is well documented and is producing results. The results of a range of initiatives already in place show that the total number of permanent nurses and midwives in employment in the New South Wales public health system has been steadily increasing over the last four years.
In January 2002 there were 34,004 permanently employed nurses—both full and part-time. In March 2008, there were 42,829 nurses employed. This is a net increase of 8,825 (26%) from January 2002. This increase in nurse numbers is due to the Government’s commitment to improved wages and conditions, and our investment in targeted recruitment and retention strategies.
NSW nurses and midwives receive the highest basic pay rate in Australia. Over the term of the Carr and Iemma Labor Governments the weekly award wage of a Year 8 Registered Nurse/Midwife has increased from $689.80 per week (1 January 1995) to $1,232.60 per week (or $64,315 per annum) today. This is an increase of 78.7%. By July 2007 nurses’ wages had increased by 47% since December 1999.
There is a range of initiatives to retain our nurses including the provision of scholarships. Over $3.4 million was awarded in 2006/07 in education scholarships and grants for nurses and midwives. Nurses are also provided with paid study leave, $21 million was allocated over 4 years for nurses’ study leave. This funding allowed nurses to be “backfilled” while they were on study leave. Nurses value this opportunity. In addition, the government provides a significant number of nurses with the opportunity to undertake post graduate courses in clinical nursing at the College of Nursing, at no cost to themselves.
In order to support bedside nurses, $14 million has been committed over the next four years for an additional 80 clinical nurse educator positions to increase nursing workforce skills and enhance patient safety.
