Healthcare Policy in NSW: Workplace Health and Safety for Nurses

This report examines the current healthcare policies in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, with a specific focus on their impact on nurses and workplace safety. It begins with an introduction to healthcare policies, their objectives, and the importance of a safe environment for healthcare workers. The report traces the historical development of workplace health and safety policies in NSW, starting from the arrival of the First Fleet and the establishment of the colony, highlighting key milestones such as the establishment of the NSW Board of Health and the introduction of various public health acts. The report then delves into the Workplace Health and Safety Act of 2012, detailing its purpose, scope, and how it aims to protect nurses, doctors, and patients. It discusses the act's influence on the healthcare environment and the benefits of a safe working condition for nurses, including improved productivity, better industrial relations, and reduced turnover. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of employers ensuring a healthy and safe work environment for their employees and the responsibilities of nurses in maintaining their wellbeing and safety.

Running Head: HEALTHCARE POLICY
Current Healthcare Policy in NSW and its Effect to Nurses
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Introduction
Health care policies refer to the actions, plans, and decisions which are deployed by
various countries to achieve certain goals and objectives in the health sector within a specific
community. A health policy can achieve various things by defining the mission and vision of a
health organization. Healthcare is a basic right for each citizen in a country regardless of their
economic status religion and tribe. However citizen from developing countries most of the time
lack adequate health care facilities which can have adverse effects on their health. This situation
forces them to travel long distances in search of healthcare facilities which are expensive. Each
country should implement some health care policies and systems to make sure that health need of
its population is met. Access and availability of healthcare facilities are largely influenced by the
social and economic situation of a country (Hofmann, Burke & Zohar, 2017). A recent research
conducted by world health organization for a health care system and policies to function properly
it requires some vigorous financial support and sources of reliable information in which the
health policies and decisions can be competent to deliver high-quality services to its clients.
Ministry of health in NSW gives full support to the minister of health minister of medical
research and minister for mental health by setting standard policies. This paper discusses the
health and safety of nurses and the entire medical staff in public health sectors, its origin and
how it affects nurses.
History of Workplace Health and Safety Policy in New South Wales
The arrival of the first fleet and Captain Arthur Phillip in Sydney in 1788 which led to the
subsequent establishment of a colony in the New South Wales began the history of new policies
in the NSW public hospital system. The first fleet which arrived comprised of much medical
staff and among them was Dr. John White. Basic medical attention and care were where

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provided to conflicts by the colonial medical services. At Sydney Cove, a temporary healthcare
facility was constructed as many convicts were being housed in tents of the hospital ground
(Griffith & Howarth, 2014). The inadequacy of this establishment was shown when the second
fleet arrived as high death rate has been experienced because of this harsh conditions (Kinnear,
Rominov, Giallo, Pilkington, & Whelan, 2017).
More permanent hospitals soon begun to be constructed at Liverpool and Windsor in
1800 and in 1816 Sydney hospital was finally opened. As the transportation of convicts to NSW
stopped in 1841 the convict's hospitals established were progressively handed over to the civilian
control to take charge over them. Despite control been exercised over their operation government
gave some financial assistance to the convict's hospitals. In 1850's public health administration
commenced in NSW. According to Chan, Patel, Tobin and Sheppeard (2017) sanitation and
infectious diseases were the two key concerns at that time. However, this two concern is still
significant in public health today. The rise of the smallpox epidemic led to the establishment of
the first NSW board of health which was under the provision of infectious diseases supervision
act. The main objective of establishing this act was to come up with the board of advice whose
role was to help in preventing the spread of smallpox. The governor had to appoint six members
to be in charge of the board of health.
In 1896 the first public health act was introduced in NSW which was charged with the
responsibility of expanding and making the powers of the board clear.in 1902 a revised public
health act was established which consolidated the already established acts and it also led to the
expansion of the board in which more public health members were added and the number
increased from six to ten. The four added members of the board were more competent medical
practitioners (Motter & Santos, 2017). Detailed written documents which comprised of

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administration of the public health acts and administration provided by the local authorities in
their districts. A new department was established in April 1904 in the public health sector which
was led by Jackson. Powers over the board were strengthened by the continuous changing acts of
1902. The board was mandated to take charge of various public health acts which included the
Abattoir act of 1850 (Delany et al., 2014). Public hospital act was established in 1929 and for the
first time in NSW the government took control and imposed regulation to ensure high-quality
services provided to citizens in the hospitals. Hospital commission of NSW was established by
this act and it operated differently separately from the board of health.
In 1990s several amendments were already made in the health sector of NSW. Public
health policies were set in New South Wales from 1990 onwards to be able to deal with issues
which are related to monitoring and protecting the health of the individual in local societies.
Public health policy has been reduced to seven units by the Area Health Services in the recent
incorporation. On July 1997, health services act became effective replacing the public hospital
act of 1929 and the Area health services act of 1986. A number of new standards were
introduced and the act recognized the significance of promoting health sector by educating the
society on different ways in which they can stay healthy and encouraging environmental health
services (Blank, Burau & Kuhlmann, 2017). In 2012 workplace and safety act was established to
ensure the safety of nurses in public hospitals of NSW.
Workplace Health and Safety Act
This is the latest public health policy established in the New South Wales in 2012. The
role of this policy is to ensure that nurses, doctors, and patients in public health facilities are
protected by enhancing good health, security, and welfare of workers in their workplace (Shea,
De Cieri, Donohue, Cooper & Sheehan, 2016). It includes both physical and psychological

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health. In NSW the highest rate of injuries is experienced from muscular stress as workers try to
lift health objects. Paramedics are always in a condition that they can potentially cause damage
to physical and mental health (Phillips et al., 2015). This has led to the great utilization of this act
to minimize and avoid any negative outcomes that workers can experience as they carry out their
daily tasks in the public health sectors. The act also states that cooperation, teamwork, and
effective communication can greatly help reduce risk and minimize the patient's risks. The
government of NSW had to come up with this policy in public health sectors because accidents
are unforeseen circumstances and they can occur anytime affecting workers and even patients
(Boyle, 2015).
The worker, however, has to be warned because the extent to which they tend to be
careless the more the accidents and injuries becomes major. Health and safety of workers in the
health sector enhance productivity in all levels of management as it ensures the smooth running
of operations and ensures that patients receive high-quality services (Holt & Allen, 2015). Lack
of safety in the public healthcare sector can lead to havoc for the organization and negatively
affect the working condition of the hospital which can also have adverse effects on the society at
large. To prevent accidents and hazards in any organization, the management should make sure
that some safety measures are deployed to enhance effective working. Health and the safe
working condition can motivate employees as everyone admires to work in an organization with
adequate safety.
How Workplace Health and Safety Act Affect Nurses
When the working condition is healthy and safe nurses are motivated to perform their
tasks and operate effectively which is attending to patients and therefore high-quality services
are offered in the public health sectors. When provided with health and safety in the hospitals,

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nurses establish good industrial relations with other hospitals, organization and the community at
large (Sellens et al., 2018). A reduced nurses turnover is experienced with health and safety
working conditions because nurses do not incur injuries from accidents as the hospital
management ensures that there is enough safety for it employees. According to Chan-Mok,
Caponecchia and Winder (2014) safety helps nurses and their families' benefit a lot as their
salaries do not tamper with hospitals bills of treating injuries incurred from accidents. Nurses
make effective utilization of resources in the hospitals as little or no accident incidences are
experienced. They also incur low costs from payments of insurance claims for damages and cost
substitution for sick or injured workers.
Conclusion
For the success of any organization depends highly on the quality of the workforce.
Employers deliver high-quality services in health sectors to the patients when the security of the
workplace is efficient. Each employer in every organization has the responsibility of ensuring
that the environment in which their employees work in which their employees operate in are
healthy and safe to protect them from accidents and injuries which occur during operations of the
organization. This led to the establishment of workplace health and safety in NSW in public
hospitals to make sure that their nurses and patients are protected from accidents which lead to
high cost as they try to treat the injuries caused. Nurses in the public healthcare sectors have the
right and responsibility for their wellbeing and that of their friends and families. Nurses should
inform the management in case they incur any accidents during their operation so that the correct
safety measure can be taken. They should also be informed on how to take care of themselves
during the course of their operations.

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