The offer came in the lead-up to the NSW state election and after a protracted campaign that involved frustrated nurses closing hundreds of hospital beds.

The nurses accepted the offer in good faith, a 9.7 per cent pay rise over two years and a 1:4 staffing ratio.

The agreement called for an additional 1400 nurses in the state’s hospitals, including 72 in the Illawarra Shoalhaven region. At last count, just 37 of the local positions had been filled.

So why, more than a year down the track, are our stressed nurses still waiting for the Government and hospital authorities to deliver on its commitment?

Sure, there have been resignations and it is difficult to find the right balance, but we agree with the nurses who say the process of re-entering the workforce presents many roadblocks.

The biggest turn-off is a $10,000 retraining fee for nurses who have been out of the industry for five years or more.

That must be scrapped or cut dramatically so that hospitals can entice experienced nurses back into the profession and deliver on what was a strong commitment.