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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 13: 12.67 average occupied beds over the preceding 12 months Mixed ward calculations with an average of 0.45 palliative beds (→ Acute 12.55 + Palliative 0.45).

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):
2.09 + 0.08
Total raw: 2:17
Mixed ratio (beds:nurses): 1:5.09
Rounded nurses: 3
Final staffing: 4 (inc. in-charge)

Shift PM
Raw nurses (Acute & Pall):
1.79 + 0.06
Total raw: 1.85
Mixed ratio (beds:nurses): 1:7.04
Rounded nurses: 2
Final staffing: 3 (inc. in-charge)

Shift PD
Raw nurses (Acute & Pall): 
1.26 + 0.05
Total raw: 1.31
Mixed ratio (beds:nurses): 1:9.9
Rounded nurses: 2
Final staffing: 2

UCC staffing aligned to presentations between 5,000–7,000 p.a.

Morning shift AM
UCC beds:
5
Coverage: 1 dedicated UCC nurse plus 1 shared from mixed ward (GW)
Total staff: 2

Afternoon shift PM
UCC beds: 5  
Coverage: 2 dedicated UCC nurses
Total staff: 2

ND
UCC beds:
5
Coverage: 1 dedicated UCC nurse plus 1 shared from mixed ward (GW)
Total staff: 2

Births in last 12 months: 139 -  Active Birth Suites: 1

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

​Legislative Reference: Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015 (Vic), section (20) subsection (6) two registered nurses on all shifts for ED/UCCs with 5,000–7,000 presentations; one may be assigned from another ward if immediately available to return.

Effective as of September 1 2025.

Declared Beds: 7: average occupancy over preceding 12 months 6.33 Acute + 0.67 Palliative & 20 Aged Care beds.

Ratios Applied - Acute: AM 1:6, PM 1:7, ND 1:10; Palliative: AM 1:4 PM 1:4, ND 1:6; Aged Care: AM 1:7, PM 1:8, ND 1:15. In charge on AM & PM only.

Shift AM
Acute & Pall Raw: 
1.05 + 0.16
Aged care raw: 2.86
Total raw: 4.07
Rounded: 4
Final staffing: 5 (inc. in-charge)

Shift PM
Acute & Pall Raw: 
0.09 + 0.16
Aged care raw: 2.50
Total raw: 3.57
Rounded: 5
Final staffing: 6 (inc. in-charge)

Shift ND
Acute & Pall Raw:  
0.63 + 0.16
Aged care raw: 1.33
Total raw: 2.1
Rounded: 3
Final staffing: 3

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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