The nurses' union has welcomed a NSW government move to boost frontline healthcare workers in NSW public hospitals to meet a promise on "safe staffing levels".
NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said on Thursday that more nurses and midwives would be in hospitals from now to July 2027.
Staff at Maitland and John Hunter hospitals have been vocal in highlighting understaffing issues, amid ongoing "fatigue and frustration".
Matthew Rispen, the nurse union's John Hunter branch secretary, said "hopefully we will see an increase in staff, especially in the emergency department".
"I'd think John Hunter would be pretty high up on the priority list," Mr Rispen said.
NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association general secretary Shaye Candish said the reforms were "momentous for our state".
"Our union has been campaigning for ratios in public hospitals for more than a decade," Ms Candish said.
"We are now seeing the beginning of their introduction, which will provide much needed workload relief for our devoted nurses and midwives."
The government said the new minimum staffing requirements would occur in stages.
It will begin at hospitals with emergency departments that treat the most critically ill patients.
The first to adopt the reforms will be Liverpool and Royal North Shore hospitals.
The Safe Staffing Taskforce will review the results at those two hospitals before the reforms progress to other hospitals.
Phase one will involve a "one-to-one nursing care ratio" for ED resuscitation beds that are generally occupied on all shifts.
A ratio of one nurse to three patients would occur for ED treatment spaces and short-stay units.
The policy will ensure 1112 temporary nurses are made permanent, including 138 in the Hunter.
Mr Park said the reforms would "help retain our existing staff" and help attract the "future workforce".
"When we boost and support our health workforce, we will see improved health outcomes," Mr Park said.
Ms Candish said NSW had lost "far too many experienced nurses and midwives", as it was the "last mainland state to commit to nurse-to-patient ratios".
Mr Rispen was looking forward to phase two of the plan, which covered maternity units - "a big focus at John Hunter".
He said the second phase would also cover smaller hospitals in the Hunter, now known as "multi-purpose services", such as Denman and Merriwa.
"The thing will be making sure the government follows through with the ratios. Recruitment and retention of staff will help with that," he said.
"Issues need to be dealt with openly and transparently between the association and government."
