Australia’s largest health union, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has welcomed Prime Minister Turnbull’s first Ministry and congratulated him on the elevation of many more women into Cabinet.
“Whilst it’s clear there is still much work to be done in the social services area, including disability and aged care, it’s heartening to hear Mr Turnbull indicating his commitment to genuine social welfare support,” ANMF Federal Secretary Lee Thomas said today.
“What we desperately need now is an aged care strategy that encompasses workforce, as we know we are facing a significant shortfall of nurses in the aged care sector over coming years. In fact, it has started already.
“In nursing homes across the country, it’s not uncommon to have just one Registered Nurse (RN), with perhaps two personal care assistants, caring for up 100 residents, with increasingly complex care needs.
“The Dementia epidemic is growing and the nation’s Baby Boomers will be flood nursing homes over the next 20 years, yet the Government continues to starve the sector of the funding required to ensure that elderly Australians receive the care they deserve.
“It is absolutely critical the Australian Government, along with industry stakeholders, tackle and bring to fruition a strategy to address the workforce dilemma and other important issues in the aged care sector.
“The ANMF is and always has been ready to work with Government to address these and other issues in the sector, for the sake of older Australians and their families.”
The ANMF, with over 240,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.
