NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner has fronted a roomful of nurses to announce 135 new jobs, but she's making no promises on the staff-patient ratios that sparked walk-outs last month.
On the final day of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association's (NSWNMA) conference, Ms Skinner was roundly applauded as she told the room of her "unwavering commitment" to nursing and midwifery.
She has promised 40 extra clinical nurse educators and clinical nurse specialists for small and medium rural facilities, 35 extra senior nurses and 60 new clinical support officers for community health and community mental health services.
"I commend your vital contribution to improving the quality of patient care," she told the audience in western Sydney on Friday.
But when the topic turned to staff-patient ratios there were shouts of "shame" and chanting from across the floor.
Last month, thousands of nurses from 180 NSW hospitals on a state-wide strike voted to launch a fresh round of industrial action in their fight for statewide minimum ratios.
Nurses want the government to guarantee a ratio of one nurse to four patients, one nurse to three children and emergency department patients, and a nurse per single patient in intensive care units.
They are also demanding a four-hour cap on patient contact time per eight-hour shift in community health services.
"I'm sure the community health and community mental health nurses will be happy that they're getting some (clinical support officer) positions, but they need nursing positions," delegate Kerry Rodgers told the conference.
"The ratios need to be extended into those areas."
NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes welcomed the new positions but told the minister she needed to go further, by writing the new positions into the nursing award agreement.
"(Otherwise), at any point in the future ... they could be the subject of a treasury decision to take them away," Mr Holmes said.
