Media Release: 21 April 2010

ANF welcomes Aged Care inquiry’s focus on workforce and accountability

Ged Kearney, Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has welcomed the decision by Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd to include aged care workforce issues in the Productivity Commission’s review of the sector.

“This review provides an opportunity to finally address the major issues facing the aged care sector systematically.

“It demonstrates that the Prime Minister is listening to our concerns and is the first sign of hope for aged care nurses in a long time.

“Aged Care nurses, through the ANF’s Because We Care campaign, have been persistently telling the government that the system is under great pressure.

“Workforce issues are the most critical challenge facing the sector and this review has the scope to ensure we fix them in the long term.

“We are also pleased the review will examine ways of making funding for aged care more transparent and accountable.

“This will help better inform the community on where the taxpayers’ funding to aged care providers is being spent and help ensure that the right level of funding is going to nursing care.

“We are hopeful that along with this broad review of the system, the government will take some more immediate steps in next month’s Federal Budget, particularly in relation to the dire need for minimum staffing levels in aged care,” Ms Kearney said.

Media Contact
Eleni Hale, Media Advisor, 0458 892 999

 

The ANF, with 175,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses and midwives in Australia.