Media Release

5 August 2005

Aged care nursing program welcome - but not enough

The extension of the aged care demonstration project, announced by the Minister for Ageing Julie Bishop yesterday, to facilitate rotation of nursing students and nursing graduates into the aged care sector to promote aged care as an attractive career option, has been welcomed by the Australian Nursing Federation.

The funding was provided following a pilot program after the University of Tasmania's School of Nursing and Midwifery found that few nursing graduates were considering working in aged care after they graduated. After the students undertook rotation into aged care facilities there was a significant increase in the numbers of nursing students who said they would work in that area after they graduated.

'The Federal Government has implemented some significant initiatives to promote nursing in the aged care sector, and while these are welcome initiatives, unfortunately there will still be difficulties in recruiting and retaining nurses in aged care until they have wage parity with nurses working in public hospitals,' ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe said.

'Nurses working in aged care earn nationally about $200 per week less than their colleagues in the public sector but are still expected to have the same level of qualifications and experience to undertake their work.
'The Government has responded to nurses' calls for additional money in aged care to close the wages gap, but until the Government implements a mechanism to ensure the money actually goes toward nurses' wages it just will not happen.

'The Government also needs to also increase undergraduate nursing places as a matter of urgency. There is no shortage of people wanting to become nurses with 2,700 eligible applicants unable to obtain a place in a university nursing course this year.

'The provision of quality care for older people, care that is provided by appropriately skilled staff, requires a commitment from the Government to increasing the number of undergraduate nursing places and closing the wages gap, as well as initiatives like that announced yesterday.'

The ANF, representing 145,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses in Australia.

Media inquiries:

Jill Iliffe, ANF Federal Secretary: 0419 576 590
Ged Cowin, ANF Assistant Federal Secretary: 0417 053 322
Heather Witham, ANF Federal Communications Officer: 0417 359 907