Media Release

20 December 2006

ANF calls for urgent increase in nursing undergraduate places

The Australian Nursing Federation is urging the Australian Government to immediately provide an additional 850 tertiary nursing places each year from 2007 in response to the release of the Nursing and midwifery labour force 2004 report.

Acting ANF Federal Secretary, Ged Kearney, said the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s nursing labour force report highlighted the need for urgent action to address the crisis in the nursing workforce.

‘While the increase in the number of nurses employed from 1999-2004 is encouraging it pales into insignificance against the more alarming statistic showing that nurses are not only working longer hours but nearly 30% are aged over 50 years. Significantly this means that one-third of the workforce will retire in the next 10 to 15 years.

‘The government should not be lulled into a false sense of security based on the figures in this report. While we are very pleased with the recent increases in tertiary places for nursing it is clear we need to do more. The ANF is calling for an immediate allocation of an extra 850 nursing places each year to ensure we have an adequate number of nurses within our health care system to meet the needs of an ageing population,’ Ms Kearney said.

The ANF also calls for the creation of a Chief Nursing Officer position which should be a priority in managing the crucial issue of nursing workforce requirements.

‘A Chief Nursing Officer is essential for proper workforce planning. If the government is serious about fixing the current shortage and making sure we do not fall into this situation again they will take urgent steps to appoint a Chief Nursing Officer to monitor nursing workforce needs,’ Ms Kearney said

Media inquiries
Ged Kearney, Acting Federal Secretary 0417 053 322