Mental health nurses from Belmont, John Hunter, Morriset, Maitland and the Waratah Mental Health branch rallied on May 12, International Nurses Day, outside their hospitals.
They were rejecting the NSW governmentβs latest insulting payΒ rise offer β 1.04% over 2021β2022 β and its refusal to agree to better staff to patient ratios and appropriate COVID-19 conditions.
The NSW Nurses and Midwivesβ Association (NSWNMA) pointed to new research which showedΒ better patient outcomes in hospitals with better patient ratios.
βThe NSW government must stop relying on nursesβ goodwill to stay at the bedside. They deserve to be valued with shift-by-shift ratios and fair pay,β NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes said.
Prince of Wales Hospital Mental Health Branch Secretary Skye Romer said, after being on the frontline during the pandemic, the urgent need for ratios was crystal clear.
βOur workloads are not sustainable. Weβre tired. Weβre burning out and we feel unsupported at work, she said.
βWeβve been seeking ratios in NSW public hospitals for over a decade and in residential aged care for even longer, but stubborn governments refuse to listen. Now, we donβt even feel like celebrating our own professional day.β
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