After 18 months of extensive analysis, planning and consultation, on 14 February 2023 Western Health’s Nursing & Midwifery Workforce Plan 2022-26 was formally launched. For easy viewing a Plan on a Page was also developed to summarise the actions contained in the Plan.
Western Health has not been immune to the effects of the shortage of nurses and midwives gripping the healthcare sector, however our planning has placed us in an enviable position. Western Health’s Nursing & Midwifery Workforce Plan 2019-21 has been instrumental in placing the health service in a strong workforce position, which has allowed us to continue to grow and be responsive to meet the healthcare needs of Melbourne’s west.
Western Health is a rapidly growing health service. Over the next 6 years we will almost double in size, with the new Footscray Hospital, Melton Hospital, mental health services and community hospitals coming online. It is therefore vital that we have a robust Nursing & Midwifery Workforce Plan to ensure that we build upon the successful initiatives of the past, to include actions that strategically meet the current and future requirements.
The Plan has 42 actions spread over the next 5 years, grouped under 3 core objectives:
- Attracting and retaining the best nurses and midwives for our growing health service
- Empowering Best Care, exploring alternate models of care and building expertise
- Enhancing clinical and professional leadership and management.
Achievements of the first year of the Plan include 13 actions that have either been completed or are well underway:
- Developed and implemented an international and national recruitment relocation package.
- Evaluated, enhances and embedded the Registered Undergraduate Students of Nursing (RUSON) and Midwifery (RUSOM) programs.
- In collaboration with university partners, we investigated and facilitated an increase in undergraduate student placement opportunities.
- We explored and implemented a Transition to Acute Care and refresher programs for qualified staff with limited recent acute hospital experience.
- We commenced work to investigate opportunities and implement actions to improve recruitment experience for candidate and manager from initial contact to on boarding.
- We have explored and implemented an expansion of graduate employment models including registered nurses & midwives and enrolled nurses.
- We have commenced important work to optimising roster practices to meet care delivery needs, support wellbeing and improve job satisfaction.
- Working with universities, we have commenced enhancing our secondary school relationships and explore pathways and employment models.
- Reviewed, updated and clarified Clinical Nurse Specialist / Clinical Midwife Specialist application process.
- Significantly increased post graduate scholarships offered, across all areas including ED, ICU and other specialties.
- Expanded clinical assessment learning opportunities, through the new Patient Assessment Program.
- Launched Lippincott to improve access to quality care provision resources.
- Launched the first tranche of meaningful Data Dashboards for all stakeholders.