To the Members of the Legislative Council of South Australia in Parliament:

The petition of the undersigned residents of South Australia draws to the attention of the Council the proposed legislation regarding nurse-to-patient ratios, which introduces significant disparities between metropolitan and regional hospitals.

Under the new proposed law:

Major metropolitan hospitals (including the Royal Adelaide, Flinders, Lyell McEwin, and Women’s and Children’s) will operate at 1 Nurse per 4 patients during day shifts and 1 Nurse per 8 patients overnight.

Yet regional hospitals, including those in Port Lincoln and the Southern Fleurieu, will be required to operate at ratios of 1 Nurse per 5–6 patients during day shifts and 1 Nurse per 10 patients at night.

Your petitioners note that this creates a two-tiered health system, whereby regional South Australians are afforded a lower standard of care and regional nurses are placed under disproportionately heavier workloads. Such arrangements risk:

Compromising patient safety and health outcomes in regional communities.

Exacerbating existing workforce shortages by deterring recruitment and retention of skilled nurses in regional areas.

Undermining the principle of equity in healthcare access and delivery across the State.

Your petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call upon the Government to:

Amend the proposed legislation to ensure equal nurse-to-patient ratios across both metropolitan and regional hospitals to guarantee that all South Australians, regardless of postcode, have access to safe, high-quality, and equitable healthcare.