Nurses and midwives at two private hospitals in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia, walked off the job on Wednesday 4 November 2026, in a dispute over pay and staffing with operator Healthe Care.
Members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) at Maitland Private Hospital stopped work for four hours, and those at Lingard Private Hospital for three hours, before rallying at Rowlands Park in The Junction, according to local newspaper reports.
The dispute
- Employer: Healthe Care, described as Australia’s second-largest private hospital operator and backed by private equity.
- Pay: Healthe Care has increased its wage offer from 2.4% to 3.5% for this year. Nurses say this is still below inflation.
- Staffing: nurses are calling for safe nurse-to-patient ratios. They report that one nurse may care for up to 12 patients with an assistant, that breaks are missed and wards are short-staffed.
- Ratios: Healthe Care has refused to commit to nurse-to-patient ratios, according to the reports.
What nurses said
Maitland Private registered nurse Karen Fox described the offer as “demoralising” and said: “We’re tired of being tired and not being respected or listened to.” Lingard enrolled nurse Brooke Jarvis called the pay offer “insulting”.
Healthe Care was contacted for comment by the local paper.
Part of a wider wave
Private hospital nurses in New South Wales have taken repeated industrial action in recent months, and public sector nurses in several Australian states and territories have also campaigned for higher pay and ratios. NSW public hospitals introduced safe staffing levels in some areas in recent years, but private hospitals are not covered by the same rules.
Nurse-to-patient ratios are already mandated in Victoria and Queensland public hospitals for many ward types, and unions argue they improve patient safety and help retain staff.
What it means for international nurses
Australia continues to recruit internationally qualified nurses and midwives through the Ahpra and NMBA registration pathway (including the NCLEX and OSCE route). For nurses considering a move:
- Public vs private: pay, conditions and staffing rules can differ significantly between public and private hospitals, and between states.
- Enterprise agreements: pay rates are set in enterprise agreements. Ask employers which agreement applies and when it expires.
- Union membership: state nursing unions such as the NSWNMA, ANMF Victoria and QNMU represent nurses in pay and staffing disputes.
- Cost of living: factor in housing and living costs, which vary widely between cities and regions.