The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) says the Gillard Government has delivered on its commitment to fix Australia’s under-resourced aged care sector in its second term – with tonight’s Budget announcement of a $3.7 billion reform package.

Federal Secretary Lee Thomas said the funding boost, including $1.2 billion for the low-paid aged care workforce, was the culmination of the ANF’s national Because We Care campaign and was a “real morale boost for aged care workers.”

 “For the past three years, the ANF has been advocating for urgently needed funding and workforce improvements in aged care to ensure that quality care can be provided to vulnerable, older Australians,” Ms Thomas said.

 “The Budget announcement of additional workforce funding finally gives nurses, assistants in nursing (AINs) and carers, a reason to celebrate.

“This is the largest aged care workforce injection to date which is aimed at putting money directly into the pockets of underpaid aged care nurses, assistants in nursing and carers.”

 The ANF will now begin the process of negotiating the Workforce Compact, specifically developed by an independent Advisory Group in consultation with the sector to ensure the reforms lead to much-needed improvements in terms of wages, and terms and conditions for aged care workers, which we hope will include improved staffing levels and more nurses in nursing homes.

“We have assured aged care workers that these much-needed improvements will be delivered directly to them through enterprise bargaining and that the ANF and branches will be involved in the negotiations,” Ms Thomas explained.

“The ANF will be heavily involved in these enterprise bargaining negotiations to ensure that aged care workers achieve significant wage increases that are fair and competitive with the public sector, given that nurses in aged care currently are paid between $168 and $300 less than nurses in public hospitals.”

Ms Thomas said the ANF also welcomed other health injections including extra funding for public dental care, e-health initiatives and the expansion of the national bowel screening program as well as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

“We particularly welcome the Government’s injection of funding into improved dental health. Nurses are well aware that good dental hygiene is the gateway to whole body wellness, especially for those who can rarely afford to see a dental professional,” she said.

“Whilst we commend the Government for focusing on preventative health measures in the Budget, it must address the critical shortage of nurses that is predicted to hit 109,000 by 2025. Its next challenge will be to ensure that there is sufficient funding for nurse training, skill development, increased undergraduate places for nurses and midwives and clinical placement.”

A new report by Health Workforce Australia showing a shortage of nearly 110,000 nurses by 2025 demonstrates why all Governments must urgently invest in the nursing workforce, according to the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF).

ANF Assistant Federal Secretary Yvonne Chaperon said both State and Federal Governments must act to provide better wages, training and education and career pathways to ensure the recruitment and then retention of Australia’s nursing and midwifery workforce.

Ms Chaperon said the report, Health Workforce 2025, was “a dire prediction about the massive nursing shortage Australia faces in the future.”

“Currently, we are experiencing a critical shortfall of nursing and midwifery staff across public and private hospitals, nursing homes and mental health facilities right across the country, particularly in rural and region areas,” Ms Chaperon said today.

“In aged care alone 20,000 nurses are urgently required to meet the challenges of delivering quality care to Australia’s ageing population.

“As a matter of urgency, Australia has to now start rebuilding a future nursing workforce to replace current nursing staff who will be retiring over the next 15 to 20 years.

“We need more funded places for undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses and ensure there are more clinical placements throughout their undergraduate courses.

“Governments must also create new solutions to encourage qualified, trained nurses and midwives to return to the workforce.”

The ANF recently achieved a victory in its Because We Care campaign which resulted in the Gillard Government investing $1.2 billion into Australia’s under-resourced aged care workforce.

Ms Chaperon said the ANF will be heavily involved in negotiations through a Workforce Compact, developed by an independently chaired Advisory Group in consultation with the aged care sector, to ensure reforms lead to improvements in terms and conditions for nurses and assistants in nursing.

Australia’s under-resourced aged care system may collapse unless the Federal Government introduces urgent reforms to the sector in this year’s Budget, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF), has warned.

ANF Federal Secretary Lee Thomas said there was currently a shortage of 20,000 nurses urgently needed to meet the challenge of delivering quality care that older, vulnerable Australians and their families deserve.

But nurses in aged care continue to be paid significantly less than their nursing colleagues in public hospitals – decreasing the chance of not only recruiting but then retaining nurses.

“Aged care is in crisis,” Ms Thomas said today.

“At nursing homes across Australia, it’s not uncommon to have just one Registered Nurse (RN), with perhaps two personal care assistants, looking after up 60 residents, or sometimes even more.

“Nursing and care staff are looking after residents with increasingly complex medical needs, the dementia epidemic is growing and Baby Boomers will flood nursing homes over the next 20 years.

“Unless the Federal Government acts – by delivering an injection of urgent funding in Budget 2012 – the already stretched aged care system may collapse.”

Ms Thomas will address the National Press Club in Canberra today as part of the Age Well Campaign – an alliance of 28 peak industry organisations, including the ANF, pleading with our politicians to reform aged care.

“Unions, consumer groups and providers all agree that reform is imperative, right now, starting in Budget 2012. Aged care can’t wait.

“If the Federal Government fails to act, the consequences will hurt those people who need our assistance the most – vulnerable, older Australians.

“We were promised aged care reform by Prime Minister Gillard during the 2010 Federal election campaign – we are all still waiting for her to deliver.”

ANY savings derived from the Federal Government’s abolishment of tax concessions to the mining industry must be invested back into the Australian health system, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) said today.

It is estimated the value of these subsidies to the mining industry could be worth almost $8.5 billion over the next three years, according to GetUp!, which has launched a new ad campaign today, calling for an end to the subsidies.

A nurse is among a range of workers who feature in the new ad, highlighting how Australia’s heath system and the quality of care for patients in hospitals and residents in nursing homes could benefit with more funding, at a time of huge profits for the mining industry.

“The ANF supports calls that Australian workers, including nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing, share in the resources boom and be funded properly to deliver quality care,” ANF Federal Secretary, Lee Thomas, said today.

“We believe the Government must wisely use the billions of dollars in savings it is predicted to make from revenue reform by investing it back into Australia’s under resourced health system, for the benefit of all of us.

“For example, the nation is currently suffering a critical shortage of nurses and midwives, right across public and private hospitals, aged care and mental health facilities. In aged care alone, an extra 20,000 nurses are urgently required to cope with Australia’s rapidly ageing population.

“Accordingly, the Government can use some of these massive savings from mining concessions by delivering extra funding, training and skills development into Australia’s declining nursing and midwifery workforce.

“The Government has to ensure there are sufficient numbers of suitably trained and suitably paid nursing staff to cope with the increased demand for health services and also assist in building a future workforce to replace the current staff retiring over the next 15-20 years.

“We need the Government to increase the number of funded places for undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses, so Australia can meet the immediate and future needs of the health workforce, particularly in regional areas.”

Concerned nurses have joined a delegation of key aged care stakeholders converging on Canberra today (Wednesday 14 March) to demand urgent reforms to Australia’s under-resourced aged care sector.

Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) Federal Secretary, Lee Thomas, said 15 nurses would be among the 140-strong delegation of older people, carers, unions and consumer group representatives, sitting in the public Gallery at Parliament House, Canberra.

“Aged care workers are highly valued by older people and their families yet they continue to attract some of the lowest wages in the country – they are paid between $168 and $300 a week less than nurses working in public hospitals,” Ms Thomas said today.

“Unless the Gillard Government acts and injects $500 million to close the wages gap, there is little chance of recruiting and then retaining the nursing workforce urgently required to meet the challenges of Australia’s ageing population.

“Aged care can’t wait – the Gillard Government can’t walk away from it.

“Reform of the aged care sector must start now.

 “We are calling on the Government to ensure that older Australians receive the quality care they deserve by making Budget 2012 the Aged Care Budget.”

The visit of the aged care delegation to Canberra coincides with the release of a poll by Essential Media showing that 80 per cent of respondents believe Australia is not prepared to meet the huge challenges of an ageing population with over two thirds would forgo a budget surplus to pay for aged care reform in 2012.

Another recent survey, carried out by Monash University, revealed that 15 per cent of nurses were likely to leave the profession within the next 12 months – because they were “overstretched and undervalued.”

A new survey by National Seniors Australia showing that older Australians believe workforce shortages are among the top priorities for the reform of the under-resourced aged care sector has been welcomed by the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF).

According to the survey, titled Aged Care Reform What Our Members Think, addressing workforce shortages in aged care and improving the quality of life for aged care residents were key recommendations given by respondents, as part of the reform of the sector.

Other priorities outlined by National Seniors Australia members included:

• Investing in the recruiting, training and support of those who will be providing services for older people.
• Addressing the low wages for aged care workers to emphasise the importance of attracting and retaining a quality workforce.
• Increasing the number of aged care nurses that can be employed to provide quality care for the aged in their own homes.
• Regulating the number of staff and fixing a ratio of nurses and carers to patients in nursing homes and hostels.

“The survey has allowed seniors to provide vital feedback on the reform process urgently required for aged care,” ANF Federal Secretary, Lee Thomas, said today.

“It is crucial that the process surrounding the much-needed reform of the sector involves the people at the very heart of aged care now and into the future – older Australians.

“What is significant is that their concerns reflect the issues identified by the ANF and our members in relation to the wage disparity experienced by aged care nurses compared to nurses in other health settings, greater investment for the recruitment of nursing staff and nationally mandated minimum staffing levels.

“The Gillard Government must act to acknowledge the concerns raised by National Seniors Australia members and fix aged care as a priority – by making Budget 2012 the Aged Care Budget.

“Aged care can’t wait.”

Australia’s healthcare system is set to suffer a nursing exodus with a new national survey showing 15 per cent of nurses intending to quit the profession in the next 12 months, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) warned today.

Excessive workloads due to lack of funded positions for nursing staff and the feeling they lack the recognition they deserve as health care professionals, were among the main reasons nurses want to leave the profession, according to “What Nurses Want,” the first national survey on nurses’ attitudes to work and work conditions in Australia.

The survey, carried out by the Monash University Department of Management, found a very overstretched and undervalued workforce:

• 38% of nurses reported high to very high levels of stress and burnout.
• Half did not trust their employer to keep promises.
• Only 40% were content with their pay and conditions (compared to 75% from the broader working population).

“The results of the survey are extremely concerning to the ANF and are being exacerbated by decreased funding for nursing positions across the Australian healthcare system,” ANF Federal Secretary, Lee Thomas, said today.

“State and Federal Governments are failing the community if they sit back and allow an exodus of nurses to occur, as well not providing enough funding to employ new nurses and midwives graduating.

“Whilst nurses were generally satisfied with their primary role in delivering care to patients, they responded to being overstretched in terms of their workloads and as a result, were suffering high levels of stress and burnout.

“Alarmingly, 15% intend not only to leave their jobs, but leave the profession altogether in the next 12 months.

“If this figure were to be applied across Australia’s current nursing workforce, then up to 45,000 highly-skilled nurses would be walking away from the profession.

“The results of the survey are a real warning that excessive workloads due to critical funding shortages, no nationally mandated nurse to patient ratios, the lack of professional recognition and the ongoing attacks on working conditions from Governments across the country, particularly in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania, are clearly taking their toll on nurses – they are fed up.

“Unless the Federal and State Governments act now and fix these problems and the growing nurse discontent across the workforce, we will see more and more nurses leaving the profession – with no one coming through to replace them.”

THE $2.4 billion in savings stemming from means-testing private health insurance must be injected back into Australia’s healthcare system, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) said today.

“All Australians must have access to the very best healthcare, whether they have private health insurance or are patients seeking treatment in the public hospital system – there must be health equity for all,” ANF Federal Secretary Lee Thomas said today.

“Whilst the removal of the private health insurance rebate is undoubtedly a blow for mid to high income earners, we are calling on the Gillard Government to ensure the substantial savings flowing from the rebate change are directed back into areas such as health promotion, primary health care, a reduction in elective surgery waiting lists, emergency waiting times and the private and public aged care system.

“The Government has committed $165 million to improve public dental services, a very welcome addition as oral health is so imperative to the overall general health of all Australians.

“The Government also said it was committed to strengthening Australia’s health system, making sure it provides the best possible health care to Australians, where they need it, when they need it.

“The ANF agrees and now calls on the Government to re-invest in health services for all Australians.”

The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has welcomed Tanya Plibersek to the Cabinet in the key position of Federal Health Minister while acknowledging the achievements of the previous Minister Nicola Roxon in the role.

It was announced today that Ms Plibersek, the Federal Member for Sydney and Humans Services Minister, will take over the health portfolio from Minister Roxon, who becomes the new Attorney General.

“Since the election of the Labor Government in 2007, the ANF has worked with Ms Roxon in her role as Federal Health Minister to deliver several very important significant health reforms,” ANF Federal Secretary, Lee Thomas, said today.

“The most significant reforms were nurse practitioners and eligible midwives given the authority to offer clients rebates on services under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and to write prescriptions that qualify for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) subsidies.

“This was a long-overdue acknowledgment of the important role the nursing and midwifery workforce plays in Australia‟s health care system and we thank Minister Roxon for recognising the work of nurses and midwives by giving them these additional powers.

“Other major reforms overseen by Minister Roxon were the historic $175 billion worth of funding over the next 20 years to public health, progress on an electronic health records system and the Government‟s ongoing fight against smoking, including plain packaging of tobacco.”

With membership increasing to 214,000, Ms Thomas said the ANF has now been defined as a union leader in the health, aged care and industrial and professional arenas.

“As one of Australia‟s fastest-growing unions, the ANF looks forward to working with the new Minister to continue these reforms, particularly given the mounting challenges facing the nursing and midwifery workforces across the country,” Ms Thomas explained.

“As a matter of urgency, the ANF will be seeking to meet with Minister Plibersek to discuss a range of crucial issues for nurses, including:

• The deteriorating workplace conditions of nurses and midwives continuing to be attacked by State Governments around Australia,
• The growing demand for nurses in Australia,
• Solutions for nurses and midwives wishing to rejoin the profession being deterred by having to spend $10,000 on a refresher course.

“The ANF also welcomes the elevation of Minister Mark Butler to Cabinet and in particular his continuation in the aged care portfolio, which faces crucial challenges deserving of Cabinet consideration, including:

• Urgently reforming Australia‟ aged care sector by closing the wages gap for nursing and care staff; and
• The Government‟ response to the Productivity Commission „aring for Older Australian‟‟report and the aged care challenges facing Australia.

“There are many important challenges facing the health and aged care sectors in Australia, and we welcome Minister Plibersek to this crucial portfolio and look forward to working together with her and her new Cabinet colleague Bill Shorten, who has been appointed the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Mark Butler, the Minister for Mental Health, Ageing and Social Inclusion,” Ms Thomas said.

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