Victorian Numbered Acts

SAFE PATIENT CARE (NURSE TO PATIENT AND MIDWIFE TO PATIENT RATIOS) ACT 2015 (NO. 51 OF 2015)

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

   PART 1--PRELIMINARY

   1.      Purposes  
   2.      Commencement  
   3.      Definitions  
   4.      Objective  
   5.      Change in name of hospital  
   6.      Crown bound  
   7.      Act not to affect employment contracts or workplace instruments  

   PART 2--NURSE TO PATIENT AND MIDWIFE TO PATIENT RATIOS

           Division 1--General

   8.      Ratio includes ratio variation  
   9.      Application of ratios  
   10.     Application of ratios in small hospitals  
   11.     Out of hours coordination of hospitals  
   12.     Rounding method  
   13.     Demand higher or lower than expected  
   14.     Skill mix  

           Division 2--Nurse to patient ratios

   15.     Level 1 hospitals  
   16.     Level 2 hospitals  
   17.     Level 3 hospitals  
   18.     Level 4 hospitals  
   19.     Aged high care residential wards  
   20.     Emergency departments  
   21.     Coronary care units  
   22.     High dependency units  
   23.     Palliative care inpatient units  
   24.     Rehabilitation and geriatric evaluation management  
   25.     Operating theatres  
   26.     Post-anaesthetic recovery rooms  
   27.     Special care nurseries  
   28.     Neonatal intensive care units  

           Division 3--Midwife to patient ratios

   29.     Meaning of patient  
   30.     Antenatal and postnatal wards  
   31.     Delivery suites  

           Division 4--Variations from ratios

   32.     Quality of care paramount  
   33.     Redistribution of nursing or midwifery hours  
   34.     Below ratios distribution  
   35.     Alternative staffing model  
   36.     Local agreements to vary  

   PART 3--COMPLIANCE AND REPORTING

   37.     Power to give safe patient care compliance direction  
   38.     Procedure for giving safe patient care compliance direction  
   39.     Effect of safe patient care compliance direction  
   40.     Obligation to report certain matters  

   PART 4--ENFORCEMENT

   41.     Local dispute resolution  
   42.     Referral to Magistrates' Court  
   43.     Civil penalty  
   44.     Notification requirements  

   PART 5--GENERAL

   45.     Regulations  

   PART 6--SAVINGS AND TRANSITIONAL

   46.     Meaning of Agreement  
   47.     Pre-existing higher staffing arrangements  
   48.     Pre-existing lower staffing arrangements  
   49.     Saving of pre-existing variations  
           SCHEDULE 1
           SCHEDULE 2
           SCHEDULE 3
           ENDNOTES