The NSW Government will recruit 950 additional nurses as minimum staffing requirements are expanded across more than 360 general and specialty wards at over 70 public hospitals.
Under the next stage of the state’s Safe Staffing Levels program, participating wards will be required to roster at least one nurse for every four patients during morning and afternoon shifts.
The rollout will cover a range of inpatient settings, including medical, surgical and specialty wards, as NSW continues to expand minimum nurse staffing requirements beyond emergency departments.
950 Additional Nurses Across NSW
Recruitment for the additional nurses is beginning across metropolitan, regional and rural hospitals.
The staffing model has been developed through the Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce, which includes representatives from:
- NSW Health
- Local Health Districts
- NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association
The Taskforce was established in 2023 to oversee implementation of the Government’s commitment to provide 2,480 additional full-time equivalent nursing and midwifery positions through the Safe Staffing Levels program.
Individual regions are already beginning recruitment.
For example, Central Coast hospitals are expected to receive 45 additional FTE nurses, including 27 at Gosford Hospital and 18 at Wyong Hospital.
Across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, around 70 additional FTE nurses are planned, including 45 at Wollongong Hospital, 11 at Shoalhaven Hospital, 10 at Shellharbour Hospital and two at Milton Ulladulla Hospital.
The Hunter region is also expected to receive around 120 additional FTE nurses across several hospitals.
Minimum 1:4 Staffing Ratio
Under the general ward model, participating medical, surgical and assessment units will generally roster:
- 1 nurse to 4 patients during morning shifts
- 1 nurse to 4 patients during afternoon shifts
- 1 nurse to 7 patients overnight
NSW Health says the staffing model is based on occupied beds and can be adjusted according to clinical needs and local models of care.
The reforms also include minimum requirements for the proportion of registered nurses within each ward’s staffing mix.
For general inpatient, medical assessment, palliative care and certain other wards, registered nurses are generally required to make up at least 80 per cent of the relevant staffing ratio.
Emergency Department Rollout Already Underway
Safe Staffing Levels are already being introduced across emergency departments in NSW.
The Government says the program has now expanded to 81 emergency departments, with around 990 nurses recruited as part of that phase.
Earlier NSW Health updates showed the rollout progressively expanding throughout 2025 and 2026, with emergency departments operating staffing ratios including:
- 1:1 nursing care for generally occupied resuscitation beds
- 1:3 for generally occupied treatment spaces
- 1:3 for emergency department short-stay unit beds
Postnatal Wards Next in Line
Planning is also underway to introduce Safe Staffing Levels at seven dedicated postnatal wards.
NSW Health currently identifies those wards at:
- Campbelltown Hospital
- John Hunter Hospital
- Liverpool Hospital
- Nepean Hospital
- Royal Hospital for Women
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
- Westmead Hospital
The next phase is expected to provide additional staffing support for women, babies and families using public maternity services.
More Than 6,700 Nurses and Midwives Recruited Since 2023
The NSW Government says more than 6,700 nurses and midwives have been recruited since March 2023.
Over the same period, it reports recruiting around:
- 930 ambulance staff
- 1,500 doctors
- 1,800 allied health workers
The latest 950-nurse recruitment round forms part of the wider Safe Staffing Levels rollout, which is intended to establish minimum staffing requirements across different areas of the NSW public hospital system while giving local managers flexibility to respond to clinical demand.
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