The Queensland Nurses for Choice and Health (QNCH), with support from the Nurses Professional Association of Queensland (NPAQ), has launched as a new voice advocating on behalf of nurses and midwives seeking fundamental reform within Queensland's struggling healthcare system.
QNCH Secretary Michelle Southwell said the Crisafulli LNP government must act immediately to restore fundamental human rights by abolishing discriminatory laws that deny nurses and midwives their essential freedoms of association and professional representation.
“An analysis of recent Auditor General reports indicate a health system under significant strain, with workforce pressures directly impacting both staff wellbeing and patient outcomes,” Ms Southwell said.
NPAQ President, Kara Thomas said the initiative comes at a time where frontline healthcare staff now observe an environment of negative real wage growth, deteriorating working conditions, and bureaucratic waste.
"With one bureaucrat for every 2.5 nurses, compared to efficient international systems at 1:10, we are seeing critical funding and resources being redirected from patient care and clinical staff support, undermining the core mission of healthcare delivery.
"The current system prioritises centralisation and administrative expansion over healthcare service delivery" Ms Thomas said.
QNCH's reform areas focus on:
● Restoring nurses and midwives human right to equality and free choice in representation by
dismantling the previous government's unjust union monopoly laws.
● Returning control to local hospitals for greater autonomy to improve healthcare delivery
efficiency and patient outcomes
● Achieving real wage growth and improved working conditions for nurses and midwives
● Reducing unnecessary bureaucracy through restructuring, redeployment, and redirecting
resources to local communities and patient care
● Building a sustainable healthcare system that puts community, patients and nurses first
The organisation will offer free membership to Queensland Health NPAQ members and aims to give nurses and midwives a strong voice in upcoming Enterprise Bargaining 12 negotiations. Ms Thomas said international examples, such as reforms undertaken in New Zealand around decentralisation and local control as a case in point noting QNCH's own analysis finding potential annual savings of more than $1 billion through administrative reform.
"By returning decision-making power to local hospitals and communities, we can create a more responsive and efficient healthcare system that truly serves Queenslanders"
"Even modest progress in reducing administrative overhead could fund a 25% pay increase for nurses and midwives while improving local healthcare services.
"The current system isn't just broken – it's actively harming patient care as well as staff wellbeing and we are inviting all Queensland Health nurses and midwives who share our vision for a better healthcare system to join us in this crucial initiative."
For more information about QNCH or to join, visit https://npaq.redunion.com.au/news/qnch
