Opposition Leader Luke Foley's plan to have one nurse for every three patients in NSW emergency and pediatric services has been dismissed as inefficient and inflexible.
The Labor leader intends on hiring 840 nurses over four years and legislating to enforce nurse to patient ratios to bolster emergency and pediatric care across the state.
Health Minister Jillian Skinner panned the move ahead of the March 28 election.
"The nursing hours per patient day formula provides more flexibility in staffing and therefore services are more closely aligned with patients needs," she said.
Ms Skinner said the Baird government remains committed to the Nursing Hours Per Patient Day formula, which allows for staffing flexibility.
In 2010 and early 2011, the then Labor government agreed to provide nurses with the per patient hours scheme following industrial action and a push by nurses for a one-nurse-to-four patient ratio.
Mr Foley said a one nurse to every three patients ratio in emergency departments and pediatric care will directly benefit 75 departments across NSW hospitals.
The scheme will cost $96 million over the next four years and will also include one nurse for every resuscitation bed in emergency departments.
Mr Foley said he would legislate to enshrine the ratios into law if Labor wins, a move aimed at binding future governments to the scheme.
"Wherever I go across the state and talk to nurses, their number one request of our state government is to introduce nurse to patient ratios in the interests of patient care," Mr Foley said.
The policy has been costed by the parliamentary budget office.
"It's fully funded, it's affordable," Mr Foley said.
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