Updated February 2026
The Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015 is a Victorian law that legislates mandatory minimum staffing levels for nurses and midwives in public hospitals. It ensures safe workloads to improve patient outcomes, requiring specific, legally protected staffing ratios for different wards and shifts.
Nursing and midwifery – legislation and regulation
For Eastern Health updated February 2026
Nominated Birth suites
|
Campus |
Number of occupied birth suites |
|
Assessment rooms |
|
|
Angliss Hospital |
6 |
AM 2 :3, PM 2:3, ND 2:3 + I Midwife in charge all shift |
2 |
1:2 AM, PM and ND |
|
Box Hill Hospital |
6 |
AM 2 :3, PM 2:3, ND 2:3 + I Midwife in charge all shifts |
2 |
1:2 AM, PM and ND |
Mixed wards
|
Campus |
Ward |
Occupied |
Total beds |
Ratios met |
|
Angliss |
1 North |
10 Sub-acute beds 22 General medicine beds |
32
|
AM 1:5, PM 1:6, ND 1:10 + 1 Nurse In charge of all shifts |
|
Box Hill |
Ward 2.2 |
6 Acute Cardiac beds
26 Cardiology/Infectious Diseases and Respiratory |
32 |
AM 1:2, PM 1:2, ND 1:3
Am 1:4, PM 1:4, ND :1:8 + 1 Nurse in charge of all shifts |
|
Box Hill |
Ward 4.1 |
15 Haematology beds
15 Oncology or as per demand |
32 |
AM 1:3, PM 1:3, ND 1:6
AM 1:4, PM 1: 4, ND 1:8 + 1 Nurse in charge of all shifts
|
|
Box Hill |
Ward 7.1 |
9 Acute Stroke beds
23 Neurology beds |
32 |
AM 1:3, PM 1:3, ND 1:3
AM 1;4, PM 1:4, ND 1:8 + 1 Nurse in charge of all shifts |
|
Healesville |
Ward |
5 Acute beds 10 Geriatric Evaluation Medicine Beds |
15 |
AM 1:5, PM 1:6, ND 1:10 AM 1:5, PM 1:6, ND 1:10 + 1 Nurse in charge of all shifts |
|
Peter James Centre |
Centre Ward |
18 Rehabilitation beds 12 Geriatric Evaluation Medicine Beds |
30 |
Am 1:5, PM 1:5 , ND 1:10 + 1 Nurse in charge of all shifts |