Safe Patient Care Act

Introduction

Bass Coast Health provides inpatient care in several wards and departments. Nurses and Midwives are essential to ensuring quality and safe care. At BCH our Nursing and Midwifery ratios within all our wards comply with the minimum staffing levels as per the Safe Patient Care Act. BCH will provide additional staff or roster above the ratios, when it is deemed a requirement to provide safe and quality care.

BCH Mixed wards and the number of birthing suites is nominated below.

Mixed Wards at Bass Coast Health

Acute care:

Bass Coast Health provides inpatient care in our Acute ward for:

  • Patients who need to stay overnight with medical and surgical conditions
  • At times patients requiring Subacute (Geriatric Evaluation and Management, Rehabilitation) inpatient care are cared for in the Acute ward if the Subacute ward is at capacity.

 

Name of the mixed wardKodowlinun (Acute ward)
The total number of occupied beds32
The different ratios that apply in the Acute ward
Acute medical and surgicalPalliative

Morning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm) 

  • 1 Nurse: 6 patients 
  • 1 Registered Nurse as EFT 300 provision
  • 1 Nurse in charge

Close Observation Beds 

  • 1 Nurse: 2 patients
Morning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm) 1 nurse: 4 patients

Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm) 

  • 1 Nurse: 7 patients
  • 1 Nurse in charge

Close Observation Beds

  • 1 Nurse: 2 patients  
Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm) 1 nurse: 4 patients

Night Shift (9.30 pm – 7.30 am) 

  • 1 Nurse: 10 patients

Close Observation Beds 

  • 1 Nurse: 2 patients
Night Shift (9.30 pm – 7.30 am) 1 nurse: 6 patients.
One nurse in charge
The expected number of occupied beds in 
medical/surgical/COB = 32		The expected number of occupied beds in Palliative = 1

 

Subacute Care:

Bass Coast Health also provides inpatient care in a Sub-Acute care in Armitage House consisting of:

  • Patients requiring Geriatric Evaluation Medicine (GEM) and rehabilitation programs
  • Patients requiring Palliative care
Name of the mixed wardArmitage House
The total number of occupied beds24
The different ratios that apply in Armitage House - one nurse in charge on each shift
Geriatric Medicine/rehabilitationPalliative

Morning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm) 

  • 1 Nurse: 5 patients

Morning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm) 

  • 1 Nurse: 4 patients

Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm) 

  • 1 Nurse: 5 patients

Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm) 

  • 1 Nurse: 4 patients

Night Shift (9.30 pm – 7.30 am) 

  • 1 nurse: 10 patients

Night Shift (9.30 pm – 7.30 am) 

  • 1 Nurse: 6 patients
The expected number of occupied beds 
in Gem/rehab = 22		The expected number of occupied beds 
in Palliative = 2

 

Maternity Services:

Bass Coast Health provides Maternity care for:

  • Women and their babies requiring antenatal or postnatal care 
    (before and after the birth of their baby)

and

  • Women who are delivering their baby following a low-risk pregnancy
Name of the mixed wardMaternity Unit
The total number of occupied beds2 Ante/post natal plus 1 Birthing Suite
The different ratios that apply in the Maternity Unit
Ante/post NatalBirthing Suite

Morning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm) 

  • 1 midwife to 4 patients
Staffed as per Safe Patient Care Act section 31:  
2 for all shifts

Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm) 

  • 1 midwife to 4 patients

Night Shift (9.30 pm – 7.30 am) 

  • 1 midwife to 6 patients
The expected number of occupied beds in 
Ante/Post Natal = 2		The expected number of occupied Birthing suites = 1

 

February 2024