QNU Press Releases - June 2004

30 June 2004

National Aged Care Phone-in this Saturday
Queenslanders urged to share their experiences of aged care

The people of Queensland have an opportunity to describe their experiences of the current aged care system during a national phone-in being run this Saturday, July 3, by the Queensland Nurses Union (QNU) and Australian Nursing Federation.

National Aged Care Phone-in
Queensland Details
Date: Saturday, 3 July 2004
Time: 10.00am – 3.00pm
Numbers: 3840 1444 (if in Brisbane) or 1800 177 273 (if outside Brisbane)

Nurses and members of the general public are invited to call in with their experiences so a true picture of the aged care system can be obtained. All personal information will be treated confidentially.

QNU secretary, Gay Hawksworth, said the QNU especially wanted to hear from people who work in nursing homes or aged care hostels and those with relatives or friends in residential aged care.

“We want information on such things as the quality of care provided, staffing levels, food quality, safety and quality of life for residents,” Ms Hawksworth said.

“The QNU has major concerns about aged care, especially since the industry was deregulated in 1997. We already have some information on staffing cuts, problems with drug administration and heavy nursing workloads. The information provided through this phone-in will build on this and assist our campaign, especially during this year’s federal election, to secure a better deal for aged care.

“So anyone in Cairns or other parts of far north Queensland with a personal story to tell about aged care, no matter how insignificant they might think it is, should call us on Saturday, July 3. It will certainly help make a positive difference,” Ms Hawksworth said.