The 2010 Budget that delivered $132 million for aged care was a great start. But we must continue the Because We Care campaign to fix the problems with understaffing, workloads and wages so we can improve the nursing care of older Australians. The Productivity Commission's inquiry into aged care and the upcoming federal election present opportunities for nurses and midwives, regardless of whether or not you work in aged care, to make sure the Federal Government listens and responds to your concerns and ideas to fix aged care.
The Productivity Commission is reviewing the aged care sector and will develop options for restructuring the system. The inquiry will also look at workforce issues and is a unique opportunity for nurses to influence decisions that could improve the way older people are cared for in nursing homes, hostels and the community. Nurses and personal care workers are encouraged to send their own submissions by the 30 July 2010 deadline. Find out more about the Productivity Commission's aged care review, how to make a submission and download a submission template that you can amend with your own experiences and ideas.
Both Federal ANF and ANF (Vic Branch) will make comprehensive submissions to the Productivity Commission. ANF (Vic Branch) members can participate in this process by attending an upcoming forum that will inform our submissions. The forum will be held on Friday 16 July 2010, 9.45am - 3pm, at the Carson Conference Centre, ANF House, 540 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Register for the ANF (Vic Branch) forum and have your say about how to fix aged care.
If you don't have time to write or send a submission you can still support the campaign by signing the Because We Care online petition. We need thousands of signatures to ensure the Federal Government and the new Prime Minister Julia Gillard respond to our concerns about aged care with practical and properly-funded solutions. Sign the petition now.
You can also tell Federal ANF your experiences with workloads, understaffing and wages by filling in a form on the campaign website. This will help the campaign better understand members' issues. Your information would not be used without your consent.
If we speak out loudly to the people who will make the decisions about the aged care workforce and aged care funding we will make a difference to the way we are able to provide nursing care to older Australians.
