NSW 2023 budget: 1112 NSW nurses and midwives to be made permanent in $572m funding commitment

The jobs of more than 1000 temporary nurses and midwives will be saved in a pre-budget cash splash, in an effort to save the haemorrhaging workforce.

The jobs of 1112 nurses across NSW will be saved in a $572m pre-budget commitment to boost hospital staffing shortfalls.

The funds have been allocated in the upcoming budget and will be spent in the three years beginning from 2024-25.

Previously they were only guaranteed funding up until June 30, 2024, after they were originally hired as a Covid measure.

However Premier Chris Minns said it was important to bolster the workforce to reduce the elective surgery waiting list, and emergency room wait times. It would also help bolster the staff who are struggling with high rates of burnout, and overwork.

“We need these nurses working around the clock on behalf of the taxpayers of this state,” he said.

“To withdraw that kind of labour from a health system already under pressure would be devastating for NSW‘s public health.”

The state government has committed $572m from 2024-25 to save the jobs of 1112 nurses and midwives. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Health Minister Ryan Park said the new permanent position would be critical to ensuring the government will be able to meet its safe staffing commitments of one nurse for every three patients in emergency rooms and one nurse per four patients in wards.

In addition to the $572m budget injection, the government has also committed to hiring an additional 1200 nurses and midwives in its first term.

“The reality is under the previous government, we wouldn’t have been able to do this reform,” said Mr Park.

“Hospitals alone don’t deliver health care, it’s the men and women of the NSW’s health system who do,” he said.

Health Minister Ryan Park said the permanent roles will help the state achieve their safe staffing commitments. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Monique Harmer

As it stands, the 1112 full-time nurses and midwives are currently working across the following LHDs, with the majority of saved roles from Hunter New England and South Western Sydney.

138.2 nurses in the Hunter New England LHD

119.2 nurses in South Western Sydney LHD

109.1 nurses in Western Sydney LHD

104.4 nurses in South Eastern Sydney LHD

99.4 nurses in Sydney LHD

82 nurses in Northern Sydney LHD

61.4 nurses in Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD

57.1 nurses in Central Coast LHD

56.1 nurses in Western NSW LHD

51 nurses in Northern NSW LHD

50 nurses in Nepean Blue Mountains LHD

43.3 nurses in Mid North Coast LHD

41.6 nurses in Murrumbidgee LHD

41 nurses in Childrens Hospital Network

26.6 nurses in Southern NSW LHD

6.5 nurses in Far West LHD

3.0 nurses in HealthShare

1.7 nurses in Pathology NSW

1.1 nurses in Ambulance Service of NSW