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 wardAcute ward
The total number of occupied beds26
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 plus 1 nurse as EFT 300 provision.  Close Observation Beds 1 Nurse:2 patients. One nurse in chargeMorning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm) 1 nurse: 4 patients
Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm) 1 nurse: 7 patients. Close Observation Beds 1 Nurse:2 patients.  
One nurse in charge		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 = 25		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 the Armitage House
Geriatric Medicine/rehabilitationPalliative
Morning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm) 1 nurse: 5 patients. One nurse in charge.Morning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm) 1 nurse: 4 patients
Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm) 1 nurse: 5 patients. One nurse in charge.Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm) 1 nurse: 4 patients
Night Shift (9.30 pm – 7.30 am) 1 nurse: 10 patientsNight Shift (9.30 pm – 7.30 am) 1 nurse: 6 patients. One nurse in charge.
The expected number of occupied beds in Gem/rehab = 23The expected number of occupied beds in Palliative = 1

 

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 patientsStaffed 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

 

September 2023