Media Release
23 March 2008
Police checks not enough to protect older Australians
The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) today expressed alarm about disturbing figures released that reveal a huge increase in the abuse of residents in nursing homes. The ANF is renewing their calls for the licensing of all direct care staff in nursing homes.
ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe said while the ANF welcomed the federal government’s commitment to carrying out police checks this would not be enough to protect older Australians. “Licensing is the only way to ensure vulnerable, older Australians requiring residential aged care are looked after properly;” she said.
Ms Iliffe said licensing would ensure assistants in nursing and personal care assistants had a professional framework that would make them accountable to the people they care for, the people they work with and the broader public.
“People in aged care facilities have a right to be cared for by appropriately qualified staff. Licensing ensures that there is a regulatory body that sets standards of education and accountability. A licensing framework would ensure assistants in nursing and personal care assistants worked to a code of ethics and provided a high level of care,” she said.
The ANF says they are gravely concerned for the future of aged care, particularly in a rapidly ageing community and are calling for the federal government to act to attract and maintain a robust and well educated aged care workforce.
“Aged care is part of Australia’s health care and people working in the sector need to be appropriately educated for the complex needs of residents. The ANF is calling for the federal government to adopt a holistic approach to meeting the needs of older Australians, ensuring secure and quality care through licensing of all direct care staff, wage parity in the sector and the creation of appropriate minimum staffing levels between nurses and other direct care staff.”
The ANF said that it was a sad day when older Australians were not guaranteed safe, quality care during their time of greatest need.
“Older people have served their communities and worked to make Australia what it is today, it is essential that we work together to bring them the highest level of care possible - just doing police checks is not enough. People won’t let an unlicensed plumber or electrician work on their house - will they continue to accept unlicensed carers looking after their beloved older relatives?”
Media inquiries:
Jill Iliffe, Federal Secretary, 0419 576 590
Libby Muir, ANF Communications Officer, 0413 834 979
The ANF, representing nearly 160,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses and midwives in