NURSES across the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) will walk off the job today (Tuesday 15 February) as part of a statewide industrial action, including a collection of Gilgandra nurses who are striking as we speak.

Members from 14 branches of the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) across the WNSWLHD are participating in the strike.

NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes said the strike was intended to highlight the state government's refusal to negotiate on their request for safe staffing in all public hospitals.

“Our members have signalled how fed up they are with the NSW government for continuing to ignore the need for nurse-to-patient ratios on every shift, similar to those already working successfully in Queensland and Victoria,” Mr Holmes said.

“The staffing crisis in health won’t simply go away on its own. COVID-19 has only exacerbated the failings of our health system.

"What we’re asking for is not unreasonable. Nurse-to-patient ratios do save lives and result in better patient outcomes,” he said.

It is understood the NSWNMA is also calling for a fair pay rise of over 2.5 per cent for NSW nurses, including a COVID-19 allowance.

The rallies have gone ahead despite orders from the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) yesterday to delay the strike until mid-March.

While acknowledging the tireless efforts of the state health workforce during the pandemic, a NSW Health spokesperson said it had appealed to the IRC aiming to minimise disruption to important health services and to ensure safe and high-quality patient care is maintained.

"NSW Health acknowledges that any strike action would cause disruptions and delays to health services throughout the state," the spokesperson said.

"Whilst LHDs have plans in place to minimise potential disruptions and delays, to ensure all those in need of emergency and urgent care continue to receive it as quickly as possible.

"NSW Health urges the union to comply with the orders handed down by the IRC."

According to NSW Health, the current award ratio framework was adopted by NSW Health and the Nurses and Midwives Association with the support of the Industrial Relations Commission in 2010-11.

They say the flexible staff to patent ratio system of ‘nursing hours per patient day’ used in a range of wards across NSW Health is a multifaceted approach and considers the numbers of patients, their complexity, acuity and care needs - while also allowing for the professional judgement of nurses, nurse managers and workforce managers to adjust staffing levels to reflect the changing care needs of patients.

The nursing hours per patient day model helps to ensure the right number of nurses in the right place at the right time.

Member for Barwon Roy Butler and Member for Orange Philip Donato express their support for regional nurses at the Sydney strike out the front of NSW Government House. Image courtesy of Roy Butler Facebook page.

Gilgandra stands down

One of today's regional rallies is being hosted outside the Gilgandra Multi-purpose Service from about 12.30pm.

Gilgandra District Hospital NSWNMA Branch President Sheree Stags said she and about nine to 10 staff would be striking out the front of the MPS for an hour, taking their lunch break at the same time, however they still considered patient safety a priority.

"Were not going to leave our community unattended - we have our normal number of staff available and if they call for us in an emergency, we'll be going in to help, we'd never leave anybody not cared for," Ms Stags said.

"That said, we're tired - (the current) system's not working and we need the community to be aware that what the government's saying is not accurate."

Ms Stags hoped today's action across the state would result in patient ratios and more nurses and higher pay being granted by the government, however she acknowledged industrial actions of this nature do have a tendency to be dragged out.

The strike has taken place the same day as 1,583 COVID-19 cases are being treated in hospital across NSW, including 96 people in intensive care, 47 of whom require ventilation.

Of these, 17 hospitalisations and one patient in ICU are located in WNSWLHD facilities.

New cases have remained mostly stable up to 4pm yesterday, with 55 positive PCR test results and 324 positive Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) results identified in WNSWLHD.