Orange Hospital, the largest in the Western NSW Local Health District, has officially begun rostering to safe staffing levels in its emergency department (ED).

This initiative is part of the NSW Government's broader commitment to improving healthcare through staffing reforms.

Following a successful recruitment campaign, Orange Health Service has welcomed 21 full-time equivalent (FTE) nurses to its ED.

This staffing boost ensures the hospital meets newly established standards aimed at reducing nurse workloads and improving patient outcomes.

Member for Orange Phil Donato has been advocating for an increased number of nursing staff, especially on the frontline in our emergency departments for some time now.

“I welcome the successful recruitment of 21 full-time-equivalent nurses to the busy emergency department of the Orange Health Service," he said.

“The implementation of increased and safer staffing levels at the Orange Hospital ED will help to reduce nurse workload, and in turn improving the delivery of patient safety and care.”

In total, 50 EDs have commenced implementation of Safe Staffing Levels across Sydney and regional NSW, with 17 EDs having already completed staff recruitment.

Across the state, more than 600 FTE nurses have been recruited in emergency departments since the Safe Staffing Levels rollout started.

The staffing boost enables the rostering of a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied ED resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse to three generally occupied ED treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park said the implementation of safe staffing ratios reflects a major step forward in supporting nurses and strengthening the state's healthcare system.

“We are continuing to make good on our commitment to nurses with the introduction of safe staffing ratios in our hospitals - one of the largest structural reforms to our health workforce in a generation," Mr Park said.

“More staff, more hospitals, more beds, lower wait times and better patient outcomes – it’s as simple as that.”

The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce was established to oversee the rollout of the NSW Government’s commitment of 2,480 FTE over four years.

It includes key leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA), NSW Health, and local health districts.

Phase one of Safe Staffing Levels commenced in the level five and six emergency departments, which treat some of the most critically ill patients, and is being implemented progressively across other key areas in a phased approach.

Implementing Safe Staffing Levels is just one of a range of measures that the NSW Government is embracing to build a more supported health workforce, including:

• funding the equivalent of 1,112 FTE nurse and midwife positions on an ongoing basis

• abolishing the wages cap and delivering the highest pay increase in over a decade for nurses and other health workers

• 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural and remote communities.