More Support For Our Nurses and Midwives

Every Victorian who has been a patient or had a loved one in hospital knows the value of our nurses and midwives.

They’re there for us during some of the hardest times in our lives. We have so much to thank them for - their patience, strength and most importantly the skilled care they provide.

Labor has always stood alongside our healthcare workforce – and we always will. We've already made it free to study nursing and midwifery as part of a $270 million push to recruit and train an extra 17,000 nurses.

But when it comes to making sure Victorians have the care they need and nurses have the support they deserve, there's always more to do.

That’s why a re-elected Andrews Labor Government will invest in a $150 million package to properly value those who care for Victorians – delivering a sign-on bonus, stronger nurse-to-patient ratios and more nurses and midwives in the public system, to ease the load on our busy healthcare workers.

More than 10,000 students are already set to have the cost of their nursing or midwifery undergraduate studies paid for if they work in Victorian public health services for at least two years.

Now we’ll go one step further to support those already studying, delivering a $5,000 sign-on bonus for student nurses and midwives who graduate between 2022 and 2024 when they enter the public system – making sure those who are already studying get support, while encouraging them to take up rewarding careers in the public system.

We’ll also deliver a nursing workforce package that will put more than 450 extra nurses and midwives into our hospitals, alleviating pressure on busy wards and emergency departments.

Evidence shows a direct correlation between nursing staffing levels and better patient outcomes – and we’re proud to have delivered the country’s first legislated nurse-to-patient ratios, making sure our incredible nurses can give their patients the care they need.

A re-elected Labor Government will further strengthen nurse-to-patient and midwife-to-patient ratios in law and we’ll boost nurses on duty in our Intensive Care Units, High Dependency Units, Coronary Care Units and Resuscitation Bays.

New babies don’t care what time it is, which is why we’ll also increase the midwifery ratio on night shifts so new mums and babies get the care and support they need.

Some new babies also need a bit of extra help when they’re starting out in life, requiring time in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or Special Care Nursery before being able to room with mum.

Labor will make sure the littlest Victorians have the exceptional care they need by trialling a new position of Neonatal Support Nurse on maternity wards. These dedicated nurses will support babies with more complex health needs, so they have all the care and attention they need to get the best start in life.

The extra nurses and midwives from this package will start entering the workforce from the 2024-25 financial year.

Most Victorians who live in aged care facilities prefer to recover in their own beds when they’re sick – keeping them in a familiar environment. That’s why we’ll fund 30 extra nurses to expand in-reach teams for both public and private aged care facilities.

Expanding these teams will reduce avoidable hospital stays, making sure residents are getting the dignified care and treatment they deserve.

You can’t trust Matthew Guy’s Liberals with our health system. Last time they were in government, they cut $1 billion from our health system and hatched a secret plan to sack thousands of nurses – their record shows if they’re given the chance, they’ll do it again.

Labor has already invested in health infrastructure, building the facilities Victorians need. But world-class healthcare is about more than bricks and mortar – so we’re doing what matters by investing in our healthcare workforce, too.

We’ve already recruited more than 26,000 extra healthcare workers – growing the public health workforce by 33 per cent since 2014.

But there’s more to do – only Labor is delivering a comprehensive plan for our health system by recruiting and training another 24,000 healthcare workers, including 17,000 nurses and midwives and building and upgrading the hospitals our state needs.

Labor is doing what matters – investing in the hospitals and the workforce that Victorians need.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“We’re already covering HECS fees for nursing and midwifery students, so there’s no reason for anyone who’s thinking about studying nursing or midwifery not to go for it.”

“But we don’t want our current students – and our public health system – to miss out. We’re doing what matters, delivering a $5,000 sign-on bonus to nursing and midwifery graduates who commit to working for two years in our public health system.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas

“You can’t trust Matthew Guy’s Liberals to deliver the healthcare system Victoria needs – our nurses and midwives know only Labor has their backs.”

Quote attributable to Labor Candidate for Melbourne Rebecca Thistleton

“Only Labor stands with our healthcare workforce, giving them the support and facilities they need to deliver world-class care for Victorians.”