The 2010 Budget included a $132 million aged care workforce package that includes starting the process of exploring the introduction of a licensing system for personal care workers and a research study into staffing levels, skills mix and resident care needs.
This is the first time any Federal Government has recognised the professional skills of carers and the need for regulation to ensure education standards and resident protection.
In addition, for the first time in 15 years, a government has recognised the need to examine residential aged care staffing levels. In 1995 the Kennett Government removed Victorian regulations requiring aged care nurse patient ratios. In 1997 the Howard Government changed the federal aged care laws removing the regulations that required Directors of Nursing on the premises and tied care funding to nursing hours. This enabled providers to start making commercial decisions about nursing levels and how they spent taxpayers' money.
In his Budget night speech Mr Swan said nurses played a vital role in our hospitals and our communities and "we have listened to their concerns".
What does the 2010 Budget incldue for aged care
The Budget includes a $132 million aged care workforce package which will ensure nurses remain front and centre in the delivery of aged care. This will include:
- $3.5 million to start the introduction a national licensing and regulation system for personal care workers that will recognise their professionalism, ensure high standards of care, and protect residents.
- $60 million education incentive payments for existing aged care nurses and personal care workers to upgrade their qualifications.
- Almost $19 million to trial new models of care expanding the nurse practitioner role in aged care. This will improve the aged care nurse career pathway and improve nursing care in these homes.
- 900 new nursing scholarships.
- $500,000 to conduct a research study on staffing levels, skills mix and resident care needs.
Minimum staffing levels
The ANF campaign has focused on the introduction of minimum staffing levels and we believe the Government's commitment to undertake research on workforce and resident care needs will inform the introduction of this overdue reform.
In another decision that will support reform the Federal Government recently asked the Productivity Commission's aged care inquiry to review future workforce requirements. In his Budget night speech, Mr Swan said: "We believe in better planning of our aged care workforce. That is why we have asked the Productivity Commission to inquire into aged care, and why we'll undertake more research into staffing levels, skills and resident care needs."
Thank you
Thank you to all members who supported the campaign in the lead up to the Budget. Whether you signed a Charter, delivered fliers in your neighbourhood, sent a postcard to your local MP or sent one of the more than 2000 Victorian emails to Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner your action made a difference. You have helped push aged care nursing into the public health debate.
Federal Election: staffing levels and wage gap
The campaign is not over and we must still address staffing levels and skills mix, the wage gap and funding accountability. We will continue to focus on these important issues in the lead up to the Federal election. Keep supporting the campaign by visiting the Because We Care website and the Because We Care Facebook page.
