EMERGENCY department nursing levels will transform under a state government plan to change award conditions in public hospitals.
The Minns state government will on Thursday announce the formation of a working group designed to manage patient ratios in hospitals across the public system, starting with emergency departments.
Nursing hours per patient day will be converted into minimum and enforceable safe staffing levels within the existing award conditions for nuses and midwives as part of the changes.
"This is the first step to safe staffing in hospitals - ensuring there's one in three nurses in ED. It was one of the very first election commitments we made," NSW Premier Chris Minns said.
"Safe staffing levels will see more health staff retained, working in areas that need them the most, and it means better outcomes for patients and the level of care they will receive in NSW.
"It is critical we have government and representatives for our health staff working together towards this important reform.
Safe staffing requirements are expected to roll out across other hospital departments in stages.
The Minns state government said the working group, consisting of three NSW Health representatives and five from the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, will meet for the first time next month.
It will report to a health secretary who in turn reports to NSW Health Minister Ryan Park.
Mr Park said he had "great confidence" in the group's expertise to implement safe staff levels.
"It won't be easy to undo a decade of rising wait times and understaffing, but this government is determined to begin to turn things around," he said.
"At its core, implementing safe staffing levels is about backing in our essential workers.
"Rebuilding our health system will be a mammoth task, but it is important we get it done right."
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