Workload Management and the Business Planning Framework (BPF. (a) In conjunction with legislated minimum ratios, the BPF is affirmed as the agreed and industrially mandated methodology to ensure safe and sustainable workloads for nurses and midwives. The parties also recognise that professional judgement is a valid criterion for deeming a definitive staffing level of nurses and/or midwives as being safe.
(b) The calculation of the annual operating budget incorporates the following steps:
(i) Calculate total annual productive nursing/midwifery hours required to deliver service.
(ii) Determine skill mix/category of nursing/midwifery hours.
(iii) Convert productive nursing/midwifery hours into full-time equivalents.
(iv) Calculate non-productive nursing/midwifery hours based on the Award entitlements, as relevant.
(v) Convert non-productive nursing/midwifery hours into full-time equivalents.
(vi) Add productive and non-productive full-time equivalents together and convert into dollars.
(vii) Allocate nursing/midwifery hours to meet service requirements.
(c) It is acknowledged that since its inception the BPF has been, and will continue to be, enhanced and refined and its application improved. This gives confidence within the nursing and midwifery workforce and management that this will deliver safe staffing and effectively match workforce supply and service demand.
