The need to better promote diversity throughout our health system will be highlighted during the 72nd Annual Conference of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) in Sydney this week.
From today 750 nurses, midwives, delegates and members from across the state will gather at Rosehill Gardens Grand Pavilion to discuss ongoing challenges and the positive change required to ensure our world-class health system continues to evolve.
Among the conference speakers are Janine Mohamed from the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives; Professor Yin Paradies from the Alfred Deakin Research Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation; NSW Chief Nurse and Midwife, Jacqui Cross; and the Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Women and Minister for Ageing, Tanya Davies.
General Secretary of the NSWNMA, Brett Holmes, said the three day conference would also canvass the recent attempts to privatise public hospitals, reporting of workplace violence incidents, threats to penalty rates and access to affordable housing.
“Nurses and midwives are constant advocates for safe patient care and a universal health care system that is accessible to all and operates in everyone’s best interests,” Mr Holmes said.
“Our ageing population isn’t a myth. We need our governments to urgently address the staffing and skill mix issues plaguing our public, private, community and aged care sectors, as well as the necessary funding required to support a robust, efficient health care system.
“Our 64,000 strong membership of nurses and midwives know we can achieve better health outcomes for our patients through the statewide delivery of improved and expanded nurse-to-patient ratios. We will also look at our broken industrial rules and how we can be part of changing them.
“Members from Tweed in the state’s north, Albury in the south, Broken Hill in the west and everywhere in between, including the major metropolitan areas, will have the opportunity to highlight their concerns and achievements, as well as act on a commitment to promote their professionalism and dedication to helping others.”
Eight guest speakers and two Q&A sessions will drive today’s Professional Day theme of Diversity in Healthcare, with a keynote speech on organising for social change in health from Associate Professor, Hahrie Han, from the University of California.
During Friday’s final day of conference, resolutions will be raised and debated from the floor to improve the level of support and recognition provided to nurses and midwives across the public, private, aged care, mental health and community based settings.
Mr Holmes said the NSWNMA Annual Conference was an important platform to discuss all of the clinical, professional, industrial and social issues that nurses and midwives are passionate about.
Download this media release: Nurses and midwives aim to challenge and inspire
