The Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015 (the Act) took effect from 23 December 2015, and outlines the nurse and midwife to patient ratios required to determine minimum nurse and midwife staffing levels in Victorian public health services.

A number of amendments have been made to the Act, including:

  • The Amendment Act 2019 included improvements to existing ratios, the creation of new ratios in a range of clinical settings and the introduction of other operational enhancements in the Act. Implementation is occurring in a staged approach until 2023.
  • The Amendment Act 2020 included the application of the new rounding methodology to shifts and wards and the establishment of in-charge arrangements in a range of settings. Implementation is also occurring in a staged approach to 2023.

Western Health publishes our mixed ward ratios and birthing room numbers every February and August in compliance with the Act.