Nurses take the lead on safe patient care

Ms Rhiannon called on the NSW Government to improve staffing levels in state hospitals.

"The Greens congratulate the NSW Nurses' Association for its strong and ongoing commitment to delivering safe patient care," Ms Rhiannon said.

"The NSW Government needs to match this commitment by increasing funding to address inadequate staffing and skill mix, rather than putting pressure on nurses to do more with less money.

"Much recent media attention has focussed on who should be funding public health services. This is an important consideration, but it is one that masks long-term under-funding.

"What matters more than where the money comes from is how much there is to recruit, train and support the people who look after us, including nurses.

"Particularly in Western Sydney and Regional NSW, cuts to staffing levels and a lack of recruitment are putting immense undue pressure on nurses, and this in turn creates risks for the community.

"In negotiations, nurses see workloads, skills mix and safe patient care as equally important as pay conditions.

"It's a poor reflection on the NSW government that due to inadequate funding the Nurses' Association has to organise workshops to help nurses cope with inadequate staffing levels.

"We need to take care of the people who take care of us," Ms Rhiannon said.