❓ The Minister for Health reports an increase in registered nurses and nurses employed in the public health system since 2001, along with a decrease in reliance on agency nurses, resulting in cost savings.
AnsweredQoN 701Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
The Government has introduced several initiatives to improve working conditions for nurses. Will the minister inform the House whether the strategies have been successful in attracting more nurses to the public health system? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I take some pleasure in advising the House that the number of nurses in Western Australia registered with the Nurses Board has continued to rise from 26 678 in December 2001 to 29 408 in October this year, which represents an extra 2 730 registered nurses in Western Australia. Second, when the Gallop Government came to power in February 2001, only 8 082 full-time equivalent nurses were employed in the public health system. That figure has increased to 9 428 nurses as at September 2004, which represents an increase of 1 346 nurses since February 2001. In addition, a total of 448 graduate nurses have been offered positions in the state health system, with an additional 184 graduates waiting on the third round of employment offers for next year. As part of our mental health program, a specialised mental health graduate program has been developed. It is expected that 20 nurses will start this program in January 2005, with a second mental health program planned for August 2005. I am also very pleased to report to the House that dependency on agency nurses to fill temporary vacancies has decreased significantly, which saved the Government $24.7 million in 2003-04. Only 146 agency nurses filled temporary vacancies in the metropolitan area in September this year, compared with 349 such placements in July 2002. The Government and I are both keen to resolve the enterprise bargaining agreement process for nurses to ensure that we build on the growth of our nursing work force with salaries and conditions that are among the best in Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I take some pleasure in advising the House that the number of nurses in Western Australia registered with the Nurses Board has continued to rise from 26 678 in December 2001 to 29 408 in October this year, which represents an extra 2 730 registered nurses in Western Australia. Second, when the Gallop Government came to power in February 2001, only 8 082 full-time equivalent nurses were employed in the public health system. That figure has increased to 9 428 nurses as at September 2004, which represents an increase of 1 346 nurses since February 2001. In addition, a total of 448 graduate nurses have been offered positions in the state health system, with an additional 184 graduates waiting on the third round of employment offers for next year. As part of our mental health program, a specialised mental health graduate program has been developed. It is expected that 20 nurses will start this program in January 2005, with a second mental health program planned for August 2005. I am also very pleased to report to the House that dependency on agency nurses to fill temporary vacancies has decreased significantly, which saved the Government $24.7 million in 2003-04. Only 146 agency nurses filled temporary vacancies in the metropolitan area in September this year, compared with 349 such placements in July 2002. The Government and I are both keen to resolve the enterprise bargaining agreement process for nurses to ensure that we build on the growth of our nursing work force with salaries and conditions that are among the best in Australia.
I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I take some pleasure in advising the House that the number of nurses in Western Australia registered with the Nurses Board has continued to rise from 26 678 in December 2001 to 29 408 in October this year, which represents an extra 2 730 registered nurses in Western Australia. Second, when the Gallop Government came to power in February 2001, only 8 082 full-time equivalent nurses were employed in the public health system. That figure has increased to 9 428 nurses as at September 2004, which represents an increase of 1 346 nurses since February 2001. In addition, a total of 448 graduate nurses have been offered positions in the state health system, with an additional 184 graduates waiting on the third round of employment offers for next year. As part of our mental health program, a specialised mental health graduate program has been developed. It is expected that 20 nurses will start this program in January 2005, with a second mental health program planned for August 2005. I am also very pleased to report to the House that dependency on agency nurses to fill temporary vacancies has decreased significantly, which saved the Government $24.7 million in 2003-04. Only 146 agency nurses filled temporary vacancies in the metropolitan area in September this year, compared with 349 such placements in July 2002. The Government and I are both keen to resolve the enterprise bargaining agreement process for nurses to ensure that we build on the growth of our nursing work force with salaries and conditions that are among the best in Australia.
I am also very pleased to report to the House that dependency on agency nurses to fill temporary vacancies has decreased significantly, which saved the Government $24.7 million in 2003-04. Only 146 agency nurses filled temporary vacancies in the metropolitan area in September this year, compared with 349 such placements in July 2002. The Government and I are both keen to resolve the enterprise bargaining agreement process for nurses to ensure that we build on the growth of our nursing work force with salaries and conditions that are among the best in Australia.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I take some pleasure in advising the House that the number of nurses in Western Australia registered with the Nurses Board has continued to rise from 26 678 in December 2001 to 29 408 in October this year, which represents an extra 2 730 registered nurses in Western Australia. Second, when the Gallop Government came to power in February 2001, only 8 082 full-time equivalent nurses were employed in the public health system. That figure has increased to 9 428 nurses as at September 2004, which represents an increase of 1 346 nurses since February 2001. In addition, a total of 448 graduate nurses have been offered positions in the state health system, with an additional 184 graduates waiting on the third round of employment offers for next year. As part of our mental health program, a specialised mental health graduate program has been developed. It is expected that 20 nurses will start this program in January 2005, with a second mental health program planned for August 2005. I am also very pleased to report to the House that dependency on agency nurses to fill temporary vacancies has decreased significantly, which saved the Government $24.7 million in 2003-04. Only 146 agency nurses filled temporary vacancies in the metropolitan area in September this year, compared with 349 such placements in July 2002. The Government and I are both keen to resolve the enterprise bargaining agreement process for nurses to ensure that we build on the growth of our nursing work force with salaries and conditions that are among the best in Australia.
I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I take some pleasure in advising the House that the number of nurses in Western Australia registered with the Nurses Board has continued to rise from 26 678 in December 2001 to 29 408 in October this year, which represents an extra 2 730 registered nurses in Western Australia. Second, when the Gallop Government came to power in February 2001, only 8 082 full-time equivalent nurses were employed in the public health system. That figure has increased to 9 428 nurses as at September 2004, which represents an increase of 1 346 nurses since February 2001. In addition, a total of 448 graduate nurses have been offered positions in the state health system, with an additional 184 graduates waiting on the third round of employment offers for next year. As part of our mental health program, a specialised mental health graduate program has been developed. It is expected that 20 nurses will start this program in January 2005, with a second mental health program planned for August 2005. I am also very pleased to report to the House that dependency on agency nurses to fill temporary vacancies has decreased significantly, which saved the Government $24.7 million in 2003-04. Only 146 agency nurses filled temporary vacancies in the metropolitan area in September this year, compared with 349 such placements in July 2002. The Government and I are both keen to resolve the enterprise bargaining agreement process for nurses to ensure that we build on the growth of our nursing work force with salaries and conditions that are among the best in Australia.
I am also very pleased to report to the House that dependency on agency nurses to fill temporary vacancies has decreased significantly, which saved the Government $24.7 million in 2003-04. Only 146 agency nurses filled temporary vacancies in the metropolitan area in September this year, compared with 349 such placements in July 2002. The Government and I are both keen to resolve the enterprise bargaining agreement process for nurses to ensure that we build on the growth of our nursing work force with salaries and conditions that are among the best in Australia.
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