26 March 2012

Record number of new Nurses employed

An extra 2000 new and experienced nurses and midwives have begun work in NSW public hospitals following one of the biggest nursing recruitment drives in the state’s history, the Minister for Health, Jillian Skinner, revealed today.

Minister Skinner said the number of nurses and midwives employed in the NSW Health system had risen from 43,430 in March 2011 to 45,499 in February 2012.

“NSW is served by some of the most skilled and committed nurses in the country and I am proud that since this Government came into office, an extra 2000 nurses and midwives have been employed to ensure we provide the best possible care for patients,” Mrs Skinner said.

“These additional nurses are using their knowledge and skills in a wide variety of roles from medical to surgical, emergency roles as well as maternity and mental health care services.

“They have started their new roles at a time when public hospitals and Emergency Departments are treating more patients than ever before, providing round the-clock-care to 1.5 million patients admitted to our hospitals each year.”

The intake of 2000 nurses and midwives includes about 1100 graduates. Another 900 graduates have accepted offers to work in the NSW health system and are expected to start work in the next few months.

Mrs Skinner visited Royal North Shore Hospital today to welcome 42 graduates. Another 38 started at Liverpool, 40 at Royal Prince Alfred, 27 at Concord, 30 at Bankstown-Lidcombe.

“It’s fantastic to be here today at Royal North Shore and see, on the anniversary of our election win, so many new faces keen to commit themselves to helping patients in NSW,” she said.

“One of the key election commitments was to employ 2,475 additional nurses and midwives over four years and after our first year in office we have made huge progress in delivering on this promise.

“We’ve offered positions to more than 2000 graduates and to date more than 1100 have started work in the NSW public health system, with the remainder to start in the next few months. 

“Our challenge now is to ensure public hospitals have the nurses and midwives they need meet growing demand and we will be employing more nurses and midwives over the next three years.”

NSW Health currently employs 45,000 nurses across the state’s public hospitals, mental health agencies, community and public aged care services.

12,000 midwives are working in the public health system and 180 nurses are also working in nurse practitioner roles.