NSWNMA General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said the staffing crisis in the health system should never have happened and “could have been avoided if the Government had listened to us”.
“For over 10 years we have campaigned for shift by shift ratios for nurses and better staffing for midwives because we know ratios work, they save lives and save money,” he said.
“Our role is not to simply stay at the bedside keeping patients alive – we have a duty to everyone in our care to stand up and speak out, especially those unable to do so for themselves.”
State MPs Julia Finn (Granville) and Lynda Voltz (Auburn) joined the 5,000-strong protest to support the nurses and midwives, and call on the Government to do more to protect and support the workers who have protected and supported the community during the pandemic.
Ms Voltz says the nurses and midwives at Auburn, have been under significant pressure over the past two years as reduced staffing due to Covid-19, have led to unfilled roster hours.
“This has put a significant strain on the workforce,” she said.
“It is not surprising that they have taken to the streets demanding more than a thank you from the Government. They have given everything they have got and they, at the very least, deserve a seat at the table with the Premier to discuss their conditions.”
Ms Finn said “hospitals are overwhelmed, nurses are over worked and the health system isn’t coping”.
“The Premier has thus far failed to listen to frontline health workers including health experts, nurses and paramedics,” she said.
“NSW Labor is calling on the Liberal Government to heed the warnings from inside their own party and offer support to the heroes of our pandemic.”