The following residents of the ACT draw to the attention of the Assembly that nursing and midwifery workers continue to be on the frontline of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
They have, and continue to be, confronted with increased workload and additional pressures across the ACT healthcare system. Year on year, demand on the health care system and the nursing and midwifery workforce grows.
Further, significant workplace issues which pre-date the pandemic have only worsened.
These include:
- lack of proper workforce planning;
- chronic staff shortages, skill-mix issues and excess overtime;
- burnout, stress, fatigue and poor psychosocial well-being; and
- worsening workplace culture, including poor morale.
Your petitioners, therefore, request the Assembly to call upon the Government to urgently develop, invest in and facilitate a clear and sustained recovery plan for Nursing and Midwifery workers, with a focus on their health and wellbeing, which includes:
- substantial and beneficial workforce planning;
- improvements to workplace safety including ensuring safe staffing and meeting Mandated Minimum Nurse/Midwife-to-Patient Ratios;
- practical and effective well-being initiatives; and
- real and constructive improvement to workplace culture.