Nurses rally over sick bubs 'parked in cramped unit'
About 80 nurses at Westmead Hospital supported their overworked colleagues from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in western Sydney by walking out on Monday lunchtime.
They made their voices heard after their repeated complaints about the lack of beds, space or staff to treat preterm babies with critical care issues went unanswered by the hospital's management and senior public health officials.
"Having to double- or triple-park sick babies into a cramped area that was originally a storeroom is not what the people of western Sydney should expect in 2025," NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association president O'Bray Smith said.
"Staff are leaving, cutting their hours, or switching from full-time to part-time hours because of the stress and demoralising conditions."
About one in six newborns pass through a NICU or lower-acuity special care nursery each year, official figures say
Westmead's NICU, catering for more than 2.5 million residents in western Sydney, is one of a handful in Australia capable of the highest level of complex medical care, known as level six.
The 44-bed unit is staffed for 80 per cent capacity, but has been surging to 140 per cent due to a sharp increase in the number and complexity of babies needing critical care, the nurses' union says.
Parents of premature children are sometimes forced to trek to Newcastle or Canberra because of overcrowded conditions at Westmead, the union says.
Ms Smith said the NICU's design layout remained a major challenge, with parents and staff fighting to find space among life-saving machines and tubes.
"It wasn't designed over two decades ago with massive population growth in mind," she said.
The union wants the unit increased to 50 beds and a minimum of 24 nurses working per shift, up from 21, to help deliver safe neonatal care.
Premier Chris Minns has vowed to learn more about the situation before committing to any increased funding, a day before the state's budget.
"Paediatric work in major public hospitals in western Sydney in particular is hard, and we need them," he said on Monday.
"The work that they do every single day, the miracles that they perform, the lives that they save, is incredible.
"When it comes to the specifics of Westmead, of course, we'll listen about patient care."
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9 News
4 days ago
- 9 News
Running bare: Canberra mum to share powerful City2Surf message
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Amid the throng of 90,000 runners tackling the Voltaren City2Surf this weekend, Robyn Smith will be carrying a deeply personal message. The Canberra mother-of-three will run the 14-kilometre course from Sydney's CBD to Bondi Beach topless. Painted over her mastectomy scars will be the words, "Flat out for funding". Robyn Smith will run this weekend's Voltaren City2Surf with a message painted over mastectomy scars. (Supplied: Robyn Smith) Smith said the statement was not just about her own journey with inherited cancer; it was also aimed at raising awareness for the often-unexplored choice of "going flat" after a mastectomy. The 46-year-old is collecting much-needed donations for the patient advocacy organisation where she works, Inherited Cancers Australia. While she was feeling nervous about the run, Smith said she was inspired by UK flat advocate Louise Butcher, who has twice completed the London Marathon bare-chested to represent the thousands of women "living flat" without breasts. Smith, 46, was pregnant with her second child back in 2012 when she discovered she had inherited a "ticking time bomb" - the BRCA2 gene mutation. Women with the gene mutation have a 70 percent chance of developing breast cancer and a 17 percent risk of ovarian cancer. "My mum died of ovarian cancer and my grandma died of breast cancer. My cousins had breast cancer, and my uncles had prostate cancer - we are all BRCA gene mutation carriers," Smith said. To reduce her risk of developing cancer, Smith chose to have a mastectomy, which was followed by a breast reconstruction. Smith, 46, discovered she had inherited the BRCA2 mutation back in 2012. (Supplied: Robyn Smith) In a story similar for many women, Smith said she was never really told much about the option of "going flat" before the surgery. Instead, Smith was only provided with a "really nice glossy brochure about reconstruction, and nothing else." For Smith, it was almost assumed that getting breast implants was the option she would take. She had breast implants put in and for 13 months, suffered from a cascade of debilitating symptoms she now attributes to breast implant illness. "My hair was falling out. I had extreme fatigue, memory loss, brain fog, and one of my blood markers — my autoimmune, the ANA marker — went through the roof," she said. The symptoms became so severe that she had the implants removed after 13 months. Almost immediately after "going flat", her health began to improve dramatically. "Within a few weeks, lots of my symptoms started to reside and everything went back to normal," Smith said. Her experience highlights a lack of education and choice for women undergoing mastectomies. According to a Flinders University study , published last month, about 20 percent of women were not told about the option of "going flat" before surgery. A further 18 per cent were told, but only after they asked about it. Robyn Smith, pictured running in a previous City2Surf. (Supplied: Robyn Smith) "Flat is a valid option, just as valid as reconstruction," Smith said, adding that thousands of Australians live happily and confidently without reconstructing their breasts. For Smith, her run is also a tribute to her family, who weren't given the same choices. She feels "really fortunate to have had information that they didn't have," and while she is running for a serious cause, she expects her mum would had an amused reaction. "Sometimes I think my mum must be up there just rolling her eyes and thinking, 'What are you doing?'" she said. The second message of her run is also a plea for help. Smith and her colleagues at Inherited Cancers Australia are struggling to secure funding for the patient advocacy group, which has never received federal government support. She hopes her bold action will grab the attention of corporate sponsors who might be willing to "support the little guy". The organisation provides crucial psychosocial support for families with inherited cancer risk, an issue that affects one in 400 Australians. "I am doing this because I feel like we've exhausted a lot of other avenues," she said. "We're doing something bold like this because we're a small charity without sustainable funding." Smith says she has two messages she will be carrying to Bondi this Sunday. "One of them is written on my chest, and the other is my chest." health national Sydney cancer Australia Health Services Breast Cancer CONTACT US Auto news: Honda here to stay in Australia, announces growth plans.
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- The Advertiser
'Big win': staffing victory for Calvary Mater hospital in a NSW first
STAFFING at one of Newcastle's largest hospitals will be covered by statewide mandates, closing a loophole its staff had slammed as a dangerous omission. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park on Thursday confirmed planning has begun to bring safe staffing levels to the Calvary Mater's emergency department. Introducing the changes will make the hospital the first affiliated health organisation to come under reforms already rolling out across 30 public hospital emergency departments, including the John Hunter. In May, the Newcastle Herald reported nurses were calling on the state government to expand the plan rather than make the Mater the exception among Hunter hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said on Thursday the news was welcomed. She said there would "definitely be a bottle of champagne" to celebrate. 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Introducing the changes will make the hospital the first affiliated health organisation to come under reforms already rolling out across 30 public hospital emergency departments, including the John Hunter. In May, the Newcastle Herald reported nurses were calling on the state government to expand the plan rather than make the Mater the exception among Hunter hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said on Thursday the news was welcomed. She said there would "definitely be a bottle of champagne" to celebrate. "We're obviously all ecstatic and it couldn't come at a better time with just the surging and the flu and COVID intake and just generally people being sicker," she said. "We're finally getting acknowledged in staffing levels for the work that we do." "It's just been such a massive battle. When you're in the thick of it, you think it's not going to happen." 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In the public sector the rules dictate a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied emergency department resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse per three generally occupied treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce - incorporating local health districts, NSW Health and NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association representatives - is preparing to work out the full-time equivalent staffing required at the Calvary Mater, the state government said. Calvary Mater emergency department nurse unit manager Andrew Adams said extra staff would improve morale on the ground, as well as boosting safety and capacity for care. He said staff would likely feel safer with more colleagues due to the changes, having faced an increase in staff injuries and assaults. "We're one of the bigger EDs in the local health district, and we do see a lot of patients of high acuity," he said. "[With the extra staffing] our high-risk patients that we have in the department will be provided the safe nursing care that they actually deserve and we haven't been able to provide." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said on Thursday it was "a big win" to have the Mater brought under the umbrella. "Calvary Mater Newcastle is not just a hospital," she said. "It's a vital part of the Hunter's health network and today's announcement means better care for every patient who walks through its doors. "The Hunter community has fought hard for a fairer health system, and this is the result of that advocacy. Real reform that strengthens patient care and supports our incredible nurses. "Safe Staffing Levels aren't just numbers on a roster, they're the difference between patients being seen sooner, being treated faster and having more time with the professionals who care for them." Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery said the fierce advocacy of front-line staff had paid off. "I want to thank the nurses of the Mater Hospital, in particular branch secretary Camilla Smith, for their patience and strong advocacy in seeing this Safe Staffing Level expansion," Ms Hornery said. "I also want to thank Minister Park for his commitment to expanding these reforms to all hospitals in the Wallsend electorate." STAFFING at one of Newcastle's largest hospitals will be covered by statewide mandates, closing a loophole its staff had slammed as a dangerous omission. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park on Thursday confirmed planning has begun to bring safe staffing levels to the Calvary Mater's emergency department. Introducing the changes will make the hospital the first affiliated health organisation to come under reforms already rolling out across 30 public hospital emergency departments, including the John Hunter. In May, the Newcastle Herald reported nurses were calling on the state government to expand the plan rather than make the Mater the exception among Hunter hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said on Thursday the news was welcomed. She said there would "definitely be a bottle of champagne" to celebrate. "We're obviously all ecstatic and it couldn't come at a better time with just the surging and the flu and COVID intake and just generally people being sicker," she said. "We're finally getting acknowledged in staffing levels for the work that we do." "It's just been such a massive battle. When you're in the thick of it, you think it's not going to happen." Ms Smith said there remained issues, including "the highest number of code black incidents in the state", but expanding the reform to include the Mater would stop its resources falling behind. "People who work at the Calvary love it and they don't want to go, but when you're working under less staffing levels than every other hospital in your area, you've got to really love your job," she said. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the Safe Staffing Level reforms introduce minimum staffing levels, which the state government says will "result in more nurses employed in hospitals right across the state". "Importantly, this reform will deliver improved nursing numbers to provide care for patients while supporting our frontline healthcare staff," he said. In the public sector the rules dictate a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied emergency department resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse per three generally occupied treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce - incorporating local health districts, NSW Health and NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association representatives - is preparing to work out the full-time equivalent staffing required at the Calvary Mater, the state government said. Calvary Mater emergency department nurse unit manager Andrew Adams said extra staff would improve morale on the ground, as well as boosting safety and capacity for care. He said staff would likely feel safer with more colleagues due to the changes, having faced an increase in staff injuries and assaults. "We're one of the bigger EDs in the local health district, and we do see a lot of patients of high acuity," he said. "[With the extra staffing] our high-risk patients that we have in the department will be provided the safe nursing care that they actually deserve and we haven't been able to provide." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said on Thursday it was "a big win" to have the Mater brought under the umbrella. "Calvary Mater Newcastle is not just a hospital," she said. "It's a vital part of the Hunter's health network and today's announcement means better care for every patient who walks through its doors. "The Hunter community has fought hard for a fairer health system, and this is the result of that advocacy. Real reform that strengthens patient care and supports our incredible nurses. "Safe Staffing Levels aren't just numbers on a roster, they're the difference between patients being seen sooner, being treated faster and having more time with the professionals who care for them." Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery said the fierce advocacy of front-line staff had paid off. "I want to thank the nurses of the Mater Hospital, in particular branch secretary Camilla Smith, for their patience and strong advocacy in seeing this Safe Staffing Level expansion," Ms Hornery said. "I also want to thank Minister Park for his commitment to expanding these reforms to all hospitals in the Wallsend electorate." STAFFING at one of Newcastle's largest hospitals will be covered by statewide mandates, closing a loophole its staff had slammed as a dangerous omission. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park on Thursday confirmed planning has begun to bring safe staffing levels to the Calvary Mater's emergency department. Introducing the changes will make the hospital the first affiliated health organisation to come under reforms already rolling out across 30 public hospital emergency departments, including the John Hunter. In May, the Newcastle Herald reported nurses were calling on the state government to expand the plan rather than make the Mater the exception among Hunter hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said on Thursday the news was welcomed. She said there would "definitely be a bottle of champagne" to celebrate. "We're obviously all ecstatic and it couldn't come at a better time with just the surging and the flu and COVID intake and just generally people being sicker," she said. "We're finally getting acknowledged in staffing levels for the work that we do." "It's just been such a massive battle. When you're in the thick of it, you think it's not going to happen." Ms Smith said there remained issues, including "the highest number of code black incidents in the state", but expanding the reform to include the Mater would stop its resources falling behind. "People who work at the Calvary love it and they don't want to go, but when you're working under less staffing levels than every other hospital in your area, you've got to really love your job," she said. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the Safe Staffing Level reforms introduce minimum staffing levels, which the state government says will "result in more nurses employed in hospitals right across the state". "Importantly, this reform will deliver improved nursing numbers to provide care for patients while supporting our frontline healthcare staff," he said. In the public sector the rules dictate a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied emergency department resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse per three generally occupied treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce - incorporating local health districts, NSW Health and NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association representatives - is preparing to work out the full-time equivalent staffing required at the Calvary Mater, the state government said. Calvary Mater emergency department nurse unit manager Andrew Adams said extra staff would improve morale on the ground, as well as boosting safety and capacity for care. He said staff would likely feel safer with more colleagues due to the changes, having faced an increase in staff injuries and assaults. "We're one of the bigger EDs in the local health district, and we do see a lot of patients of high acuity," he said. "[With the extra staffing] our high-risk patients that we have in the department will be provided the safe nursing care that they actually deserve and we haven't been able to provide." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said on Thursday it was "a big win" to have the Mater brought under the umbrella. "Calvary Mater Newcastle is not just a hospital," she said. "It's a vital part of the Hunter's health network and today's announcement means better care for every patient who walks through its doors. "The Hunter community has fought hard for a fairer health system, and this is the result of that advocacy. Real reform that strengthens patient care and supports our incredible nurses. "Safe Staffing Levels aren't just numbers on a roster, they're the difference between patients being seen sooner, being treated faster and having more time with the professionals who care for them." Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery said the fierce advocacy of front-line staff had paid off. "I want to thank the nurses of the Mater Hospital, in particular branch secretary Camilla Smith, for their patience and strong advocacy in seeing this Safe Staffing Level expansion," Ms Hornery said. "I also want to thank Minister Park for his commitment to expanding these reforms to all hospitals in the Wallsend electorate."
Sydney Morning Herald
02-08-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
When her mum got sick, Robyn learnt she had a ‘ticking time-bomb' in her chest
Robyn Smith was pregnant with her second child when she learned she was 'living with a ticking time-bomb' in her chest. After her mother's ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2012, tests revealed she had inherited the same breast cancer gene – the BRCA2 mutation – that had claimed the lives of several women in her family. Her grandmother had died of breast cancer before she was born. Her mother soon followed years later. Disproportionately affecting women, the BRCA gene increases the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer by up to 70 per cent and ovarian cancer by 40 per cent. The diagnosis gave Smith time to work with her doctors and access potentially life-saving, preventative surgery, undergoing a double mastectomy along with an aesthetic flat closure. The Canberra woman said, initially, getting the diagnosis was 'overwhelming'. 'But I also felt lucky to have had the information that my grandma, mum and people before me in my family didn't have. I was able to use that genetic information to manage my own risk of cancer, and it saved my life.' A mother of three, 46-year-old Smith leads a healthy, active life — playing touch footy regularly and taking part in Park Run whenever she can. Next Sunday, Smith is heading to Sydney for her seventh go at the world's largest fun run, the City2Surf, where she plans to raise funds for Inherited Cancers Australia (ICA) by running the 14-kilometre course from Sydney's CBD to Bondi Beach topless. Inspired by Louise Butcher, the British woman who ran the London marathon topless for breast cancer awareness this year, Smith will be run the race with the words 'flat out of funding' painted across her chest.
