Independent Review of the Nursing Hours per Patient Day (NHpPD) Workload Model in Western Australia

WA Health is committed to maintaining a contemporary workload management model for nurses and midwives that strongly aligns with the principles of evidence-based safe staffing, to achieve optimal staffing which best supports the States’s nurses and midwives in providing safe, high quality and sustainable health care for all West Australians.

The WA Health System – Australian Nursing Federation – Registered Nurses, Midwives, Enrolled (Mental Health) and Enrolled (Mothercraft) Nurses – Industrial Agreement 2020 (Agreement) was registered by the WAIRC on 24 May 2021 and provided for a Workload Management Models Independent Review (the ‘Review’) specifying:

• The System Manager will facilitate and support an independent review of the NHpPD workload model management model, including translation of NHpPD to transparent minimum nurse staffing levels;
• The independent reviewer will produce a report, inclusive of findings and recommendations; and
• The scope of the review will include consultation with relevant stakeholders including, but not limited to, the Federation, Employers and the Department of Health, including the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office.

In late 2021, the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office (CNMO) Dr Robina Redknap, announced the appointment of Professor Phillip Della to undertake the independent review.  Professor Della has a distinguished nursing career over 40 years, practising as a registered nurse and midwife with experience in clinical care, nursing management, policy, research and the university sector

At the request of the Minister for Health, with support from the WA Department of Health, ANF and UWU(WA), Professor Della commenced the 12-month independent and critical review of the NHpPD model in October 2021.

The work that Professor Phillip Della is undertaking will build upon the previous body of work and will inform WA’s workload management models for our nurses and midwives into the future.  It will:

• Consider conversion of the current NHpPD classifications to a transparent minimum number of nurses/midwives when patient acuity and/or complexity remain unchanged.
• Identify how the current NHpPD model can be contemporised to reflect the WA health system's current operations including how workload management can influence safe, high quality and sustainable patient outcomes.
• Consider how the NHpPD governance process can be updated to enable transparent reporting, monitoring and reclassification processes.
• Consider the most appropriate composite of nurses and/or midwives, which take into consideration the expertise, education and skill mix of the workforce.
• Consider the unique needs of WA Country Health Service, to best support the provision of safe, high quality and sustainable health care within rural and remote services.
• Consider what workload methodology best supports the delivery of contemporary and evidence based maternity services.

Terms of Reference for the Review

View the Terms of Reference for the review of Nursing Hours per Patient Day (PDF 88KB).

Consultation

From December 2021 to April 2022 Professor Phillip Della consulted with nurses and midwives, including front-line clinical staff and nurse managers from various levels, unions, executive and area directors of nursing and other executive positions via focus groups, one-on-one sessions and an opportunity to provide a written submission.

Health Department personnel who have been involved in the previous work on NHpPD initiatives have also been consulted. Consultation with consumers is planned.

This consultation is key to the Review and will assist to inform WA’s workload management model for WA nurses and midwives into the future.

Communiques

Communiques will be released periodically throughout the duration of the Review. These are designed to keep everyone updated on the progress of the Review and indicative findings that will help shape the final recommendations.

• Communique #1: 10 June 2022 (PDF 123KB)

Contact

Please send queries regarding the Review to the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office via NHpPDSubmissions@health.wa.gov.au.