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Nurse to patient ratios
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About the Safe Patient Care Act 2015
The Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015 establishes minimum nursing and midwifery staffing requirements for specified public health services in Victoria. These ratios help support patient safety, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to safe working environments for nurses and midwives.
Nurse and midwife to patient ratios were first introduced in Victoria in 2000 and were legislated through the Safe Patient Care Act in 2015. Since then, the Victorian Government has implemented a number of ratio improvements to reflect increasing patient complexity, evolving models of care, and growing demand for health services.
Austin Health complies with the staffing requirements outlined in the Act and continues to support initiatives that promote safe, person-centered care across our services.
Mixed ward nurse to patient ratios
At Austin Health, there are two mixed wards: Mellor Ward and 6 East.
A mixed ward is a ward where different nurse to patient ratios apply to different patient groups within the same ward.
Mellor Ward provides care for patients receiving geriatric evaluation and management (GEM) and rehabilitation services.
6 East provides care for patients receiving acute stroke, neurology and epilepsy services (including video monitoring beds).
The nurse to patient ratios in these wards are determined by the clinical needs of the patients being cared for and are consistent with the requirements of the Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015.
The tables below outline the staffing arrangements that apply within Austin Health's mixed wards and the expected number of occupied beds in each portion of the ward during the following 6 months.
Mellor Ward
Total occupied beds: 32
| Shift | GEM beds | Rehab beds | GEM nurse ratio | Rehab nurse ratio | Mixed ratio | Total staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | 7 | 25 | 1:5 | 1:5 | 1:5 | 7 + I/C |
| PM | 7 | 25 | 1:6 | 1:5 | 1:5.19 | 7 + I/C |
| ND | 7 | 25 | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:10 | 4 + I/C |
6 East
Total occupied beds: 27
| Shift | Acute stroke beds | General medical beds | Acute stroke nurse ratio | General medical nurse ratio | Mixed ratio | Total staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | 4 | 23 | 1:3 | 1:4 | 1:3.81 | 8 + I/C |
| PM | 4 | 23 | 1:3 | 1:4 | 1:3.81 | 8 + I/C |
| ND | 4 | 23 | 1:3 | 1:8 | 1:6.42 | 5 + I/C |
More information
For more information about nurse and midwife to patient ratios is available from the Victorian Government:
- Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015
- Nursing and midwifery legislation and regulation resources
Last updated: August 2026