ANF: Nurses disappointed by aged care report

Published: 8 August 2011

The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has expressed disappointment at the findings of the final Productivity Commission (PC) report into aged care – saying it fails to address quality care for elderly Australians.

ANF Federal Secretary Lee Thomas said the report – Caring for Older Australians – doesn’t offer real solutions to fixing Australia’s under-resourced aged care sector.

“Whilst the PC report acknowledges there are workforce issues in aged care, it contains no tangible mechanisms on how to close the wages gap for the aged care workforce so residents receive quality care they deserve,” Ms Thomas said.

“It is inconceivable that the PC, after months of public hearings and submissions from nursing staff from the various states, fails to address the $500 million required to close the wages gap for nurses and assistants in nursing (AINs) working in the sector.

“The PC report recommends the timeframe of three to five years for a new statutory body to examine wages, but this is far too long.

“Aged care can’t wait any longer.

“That’s why the ANF is calling on the Gillard Government to step-in now and act by making next year’s Budget the aged care Budget.”

According to the ANF, the sector urgently needs more than 20,000 extra nursing staff to cope with Australia’s ageing population.

“Our aged care nursing staff are getting paid between $168 and $300 on average less per week than nurses working in public hospitals,” Ms Thomas explained.

“Therefore it is imperative the Government steps-in following the release of the PC report and begins the reform of the aged care sector by closing the wage gap, otherwise we will simply have no workforce left to care for elderly Australians in nursing homes.”

The extra $500 million funding for aged care would assist in ensuring there is the right balance of skills and nursing hours so that nursing staff can deliver quality care for every resident they look after in nursing homes.

The ANF’s ongoing Because We Care campaign is calling on the Gillard Government to honour its commitment of fixing Australia’s aged care system in its second term and includes a provision that there is greater transparency to ensure any extra funding is directed to the residents of nursing homes.

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