The ACT Government has rolled out the next phase of nurse and midwife-to-patient ratios: new staffing standards take effect from today in maternity, neonatal, perioperative and endoscopy services at Canberra Hospital and North Canberra Hospital.
This phase follows the introduction of emergency, coronary care, oncology and paediatric services since last year. It is backed by an $86 million investment to recruit nearly 140 additional full-time nurses and midwives as part of the ACT’s pledge to hire 800 extra healthcare workers.
Health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA said the changes aim to deliver “safer workloads and better care” by responding to needs that nurses and midwives raised.
“With our commitment to Phase Two, we’re expanding ratios to more areas and continuing to build a health system that values and supports its workforce,” she said.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) ACT called ratios a “significant win” for staff and patient safety, secured through collective union action, but branch secretary Carlyn Fidow said the real challenge lay in implementation.
The union noted the rollout has exposed both strengths and gaps in the system, and said success required clear models of care, targeted recruitment and retention, robust workforce reporting systems, escalation pathways for changing patient acuity, and consistent consultation with staff.
“The goal must be to ensure that every area covered by Ratios is meeting 100 per cent compliance 100 per cent of the time, and the onus is on Canberra Health Services to ensure it is putting structures in place for Ratios areas to succeed,” Ms Fidow said.
The ANMF ACT Branch said it remained committed to working with members and the health services to ensure that ratios were embedded in practice “where they make a real difference to patient outcomes and staff workload and wellbeing”.
Greens: Civic Library’s future uncertain
The ACT Greens say the Labor Government has refused to guarantee the future of Civic Library, with Minister for City Services Tara Cheyne MLA telling Estimates a decision would be announced later this year.
Greens MLA Andrew Braddock claimed the government was sidelining libraries: “Labor has left the future of Civic Library up in the air. Why are ACT Libraries once again an afterthought for this government? They are essential services that people depend on every day for free access to the internet, information, and a warm third space.”
Ms Cheyne said that staff had this week received a report on the state of ACT Libraries.
Mr Braddock criticised fee hikes for community room hire – the government doubled fees to simplify the fee structure, but Mr Braddock described the policy as unfair and out of touch.
“Labor has asked not-for-profit organisations to come up with hundreds of dollars to simply meet in a library. These organisations make fantastic and valuable contributions to our local community, whether it be language classes, education on health matters, and bringing groups together. They should not be penalised.”
Recent figures show Civic Library has just 1.65 full-time equivalent staff, the lowest across ACT public libraries. Three branches have fewer than three FTE staff, and overall staffing remains below 2020–21 levels.
The ACT Government has not responded to questions about Civic Library’s future.
