Workload management (NHpPD)
WA Health is committed to maintaining a comprehensive workload management process for nurses and midwives in Western Australia under its application of the Nurses (WA Government Health Services) Exceptional Matters Order (EMO) 2001 (PDF 50KB).
The EMO (2001) requires that the Department of Health meet the following duties with regard to the management of nursing and midwifery workloads in WA:
- Duty to prevent sustained unreasonable workload
- Duty to allocate and roster nurses in accordance with process consistent with reasonable workload principles
- Duty to consult, communicate and constructively interact about health service provision to patients
The NHpPD model provides a systematic monitoring and measuring system to identify the number of nursing / midwifery hours required to provide patient care in a specific clinical area. Each ward area is able to calculate their NHpPD hours by calculating occupied bed days and their allocated ward NHpPD category.
- NHpPD catagory criteria guiding principles (PDF 34KB)
- Calculate ward / unit staffing using NHpPD (PDF 103KB)
Benchmarking
A benchmarking process was undertaken in 2000/01 to identify initial NHpPD targets. All metropolitan and country sites were consulted to identify the defining categories for all clinical area. Benchmarks were consequently set. Each ward or unit at public hospitals has been awarded a category and target hours to work towards.
The NHpPD model also incorporates a review process to allow sites to submit a business case to have their benchmark formally reviewed and updated against articulated criteria. To date over 50 ward areas or units have requested and been granted a reclassification category and target hours.
- Guiding template for ward reclassification business cases (Word 210KB)
- Preparing a business case (Word 138KB)
Reporting
As part of WA Health’s commitment to the legislation, an annual (financial year) and interim report is published to demonstrate progress against NHpPD benchmark targets. This report is presented to the Director General, Chief Executive Officers, Directors of Nursing of all public health hospitals, the Australian Nursing Federation (WA), the Liquor and Miscellaneous Workers Union and the Hospital Services Union.
All nurses and midwives can access the report, either from this website or from their Director of Nursing.
- Annual report: NHpPD July 2011–June2012 (PDF 1.56MB)
- Interim report: NHpPD July 2011–December 2011 (PDF 1.25MB)
- Interim report: NHpPD July–December 2009 (PDF 1.16MB)
- Annual report: Nursing hours per patient day 2008–2009 (PDF 274KB)
Presentations
Presentations are given to WA Health metropolitan and rural hospitals to help better understand the NHpPD system and how the workload management system affects each site. WA Health sites can request a member of the Nursing and Midwifery Office to come to their work areas and present on NHpPD.
For enquiries about Workload Management please contact us.
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