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Safe Patient Care Act

Leongatha and Korumburra Hospital

The Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015 which came into effect on 23 December 2015, established minimum staffing levels for nurses and midwives to ensure safe and quality care for patients. On 6 March 2019, updates to the Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Regulations 2015 were introduced, which included improved ratios, the establishment of new ratios across a range of clinical settings, and other operational refinements.

For Regional Care Group Leongatha & Korumburra mixed wards, the new staffing ratios apply to ensure appropriate care across different patient needs. These changes reflect the government's ongoing commitment to maintaining a high standard of patient safety and quality care.

The table below shows the number of nurses that are in a mixed ward. A mixed ward has two or more different nurse to patient ratios. This information will inform our patients how many nurses they can expect to be within either of our mixed ward based on projected occupancy and case mix.

Declared Beds: 14
Average palliative occupancy applied to mixed ward calculation: 0.17 palliative beds
(Acute 13.83 + Palliative 0.17)

Ratios applied:
Acute: AM 1:6, PM 1:7, ND 1:10;
Palliative: AM 1:4, PM 1:4, ND 1:6.

Shift AM
Raw nurses (Acute & Pall):
2.31 + 0.04
Total raw: 2:35
Mixed ratio (beds:nurses): 1:5.96
Rounded nurses: 3
Final staffing: 4 (inc. in-charge)

Shift PM
Raw nurses (Acute & Pall):
1.98 + 0.04
Total raw: 2.02
Mixed ratio (beds:nurses): 1:6.92
Rounded nurses: 3
Final staffing: 4 (inc. in-charge)

Shift ND
Raw nurses (Acute & Pall):
1.38 + 0.03
Total raw: 1.41
Mixed ratio (beds:nurses): 1:9.93
Rounded nurses: 2
Final staffing: 2

Calculation Method:
Mixed ward unique ratio calculated under s.12A of the Safe Patient Care Act, with rounding applied at Step 4 in accordance with s.12.

Births in last 12 months: 151
Active Birth Suites: 1

Midwives rostered
AM
2 Midwives
PM 2 Midwives
ND 1 midwife on-site plus 1 midwife on-call

Staffing aligns with maternity provisions within the Safe Patient Care Act for services with fewer than 500 births per annum.

Declared Beds: 30
Breakdown: 1 Acute, 8 GEM/TCP, 1 Palliative, 20 Aged Care

Ratios Applied: 
Acute: AM 1:6, PM 1:7, ND 1:10
Palliative: AM 1:4, PM 1:4, ND 1:6
GEM/TCP: AM 1:5, PM 1:6, ND 1:8
Aged Care: AM 1:7, PM 1:8, ND 1:15.

Shift AM
Raw Nurses:
4.86
Rounded Clinical: 5
In-charge: +1
Final staffing: 6 (inc. in-charge)

Shift PM
Raw Nurses:
4.19
Rounded Clinical: 5
In-charge: +1
Final staffing: 6 (inc. in-charge)

Shift ND
Raw Nurses:
2.56
Rounded Clinical: 3
In-charge: 
Final staffing: 3

Calculation Method: Unique ratio calculated by dividing total beds by total raw nurses per shift. Rounding applied in accordance with s.12 of the Act.

Kooweerup Hospital

Kooweerup Hospital provides inpatient care in the Westernport Unit, an integrated unit consisting of residential aged care, transition care, respite and level 4 acute beds. Ratios within the Westernport Unit comply with the minimum staffing levels as per the Safe Patient Care Act. We will provide additional staff or roster above the ratios, when it is deemed a requirement to provide safe and quality care.

Name of the mixed ward - Westernport Unit

The total number of occupied beds - 28
The different ratios that apply in the Westernport Unit

Acute Medical
Morning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm)
1 nurse: 6 patients. One nurse in charge

Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm)
1 nurse: 7 patients plus 1 nurse as EFT
300 provision.
One nurse in charge

Night Shift (9.00 pm – 7.30 am)
1 nurse: 10 patients.

The expected number of occupied
beds in Acute medical = 8

Residential Aged Care
Morning Shift (7:00am – 3:30pm)
1 nurse: 7 patients

Afternoon Shift (1:30pm – 10:00pm)
1 nurse: 8 patients

Night Shift (9:30pm – 7:30am)
1 nurse: 15 patients.

The expected number of occupied
beds in Residential aged care = 20

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