"The federation would argue that we understand some of the current debate about the lack of access to healthcare for asylum seekers, the enormous gaps in health for our Indigenous people, all critically shameful situations. But we're denying our own elderly people access to proper healthcare," said Annie Butler to a panel discussion at The Australian Financial Review Healthcare Summit.

Ms Butler said "right until quite recently, nobody is making a fuss about it".

The treatment provided in aged care facilities has entered the spotlight since the beginning of an ongoing royal commission into the industry that continued in Adelaide on Tuesday, running concurrently with the summit. So far, the royal commission has heard "horror stories" of unsafe workloads and the overuse of psychotropic drugs as a substitute for care.

Minimum Staffing

Ms Butler said one industry change needed was to alter the Aged Care Act to implement a minimum staffing requirement in aged care facilities.

"First and fundamentally we want to see it changed to mandate minimum staffing across the aged care sector."

In her view, to implement the full amount of staff required today, at least 65,000 jobs would need to be filled across the industry. She estimated this process would take five years for a skills shortage to catch up.

Presbyterian Aged Care NSW and ACT chief executive Paul Sadler said no aged care provider in the country would be able to afford this change if it were implemented today.

"You're talking about roughly a 40 per cent increase in the availability of money to pay for that," said Mr Sadler. "No aged care provider in Australia, even the richest, could afford that.

"The reality at the moment is that approximately half of all residential aged care services are actually operating in deficit," said Mr Sadler. The nature of the funding model in aged care services was "fundamentally flawed".

Majority in home care

According to Mr Sadler, approximately 1.3 million Australians receive aged care services, with 200,000 of those in residential facilities and the other 1.1 million receiving care in their own homes.

Any changes to aged care should focus on a whole of industry approach, not only on residential aged care providers, because the majority of those in aged care were not in those facilities.

Council on the Ageing CEO Ian Yates said there had been a "seismic shift" away from residential healthcare in favour of residential home care packages.

"We have historically speaking, warehoused older people into aged care, and what we're seeing right now is a really strong resistance to that amongst older Australians," said Mr Yates.

It was important that aged care was "not being seen as having to pick up all of the failings of the rest of the human services system".

He said "ageism" was particularly prominent in the healthcare industry.

Annie Butler, Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, told The Australian Financial Review Healthcare Summit that elderly Australians were being denied access to proper aged care.  Photo: Janie Barrett

In her witness statement, Ms Butler told the Royal Commission:   

a.   The problems in the aged care sector are well known, well documented and a matter of increasing national disquiet and concern.  The ANMF has over many years drawn attention to the shortcomings in the system, highlighting to governments, regulatory bodies, key stakeholders, the media and the community critical issues related to the quality of care delivery.

b.   The shortcomings and instances of inadequate care are not isolated, they are not exceptional but reflect systemic problems in the structure of the aged care system, including: inappropriate regulation of the sector; a lack of responsiveness to the changing needs of Australia’s ageing population; and, a lack of transparency and accountability across the sector.

c.    The legitimate expectations of those in receipt of residential care, their families and the community to receive safe, quality care can be met by the provision of safe nursing care (including personal care) delivered by best practice;

d.   Staffing models, which are underpinned by an evidence-based methodology to ensure the provision of adequate numbers of appropriately qualified staff, are fundamental to meeting the needs of residents and the high standards of quality and safety in aged care services of which the Commission’s terms of reference speak. Mandated minimum staffing levels and skill mixes are necessary.

e.    The funding and regulatory regime applying to the system must be directed to ensuring that adequate numbers of appropriately qualified staff, in accordance with an evidence-based staffing model, are available to deliver care.

f.    The ANMF has developed an evidence-based staffing methodology that if adopted will, in our view, deliver the levels of safe, best practice care in residential aged care facilities expected by the community.

Ms Butler added that current funding arrangements for aged care were unsatisfactory. They encourage perverse outcomes and fail to direct funding and the accountability of that funding to direct care.

To download the full copy of Ms Butler’s statement to the Royal Commission, go here.

Authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

Media contact: Richard Lenarduzzi on 0411 254390

The amendment to the Bill, moved by Independent Senator Tim Storer and the Australian Greens, was passed by the Senate on 6 December last year.

ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said politicians must listen to the ongoing concerns from the ANMF, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and Independent MP Dr Kerryn Phelps, about the rights and needs of asylum-seekers to be allowed medical treatment on the mainland when they urgently need it.

“Nurses and midwives believe that our current offshore detention policies are morally reprehensible,” Ms Butler said.

“As a civilised, decent society, we must allow asylum seekers with serious medical issues to be transferred to the Australian mainland for the temporary purpose of assessment and treatment.

“Health professionals understand that there is simply no way of them getting the level of medical treatment they need in detention centres like Nauru.”

The ANMF supports any amendments which aim to have medical professionals overseeing transfers of asylum seekers rejected by the Immigration Minister and time limits placed on urgent medical transfers.

The Bill is expected to come before the House of Representatives on Tuesday, 12 February 2019.

Authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

Media contact: Richard Lenarduzzi on 0411 254390

The NPRG was established last year to review 5,700 items on the MBS and make recommendations NPs can have access to a wider range of MBS rebates in order to provide improved health outcomes for patients, particularly those in remote, regional and Indigenous communities. Over the past five years, service volumes for NPs MBS items have grown at 42.8% per year and over 2016-17 accounted for around 419,000 services and $13 million in benefits.

The NPRG’s recommendations focused on four key areas:

1. Supporting comprehensive and coordinated care for people with long-term health conditions and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples;
2. Enabling nurse practitioner care for all Australians;
3. Addressing system inefficiencies caused by current MBS arrangements;
4. Improving patient access to telehealth services.

ANMF Federal secretary Annie Butler said today: “The role of the of the NP is the most advanced clinical nursing role in Australia, with NPs having the additional responsibilities for patient assessment, diagnosis and management, referral, medications prescribing and the ordering and interpretation of diagnostic investigations.

“But NPs still have limited access to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and inadequate funding arrangements, which is preventing NPs from providing crucial health care to their full capacity. The ANMF welcomes the positive impact the NPRG’s recommendations would have if adopted and put into everyday clinical practice, particularly in rural and remote health, aged care, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, primary and preventive health care.

“Importantly, the recommendations are supported by strong, relevant evidence, clinical knowledge and understanding of the important opportunities for increasing the contribution of NPs practitioners to deliver integrated, efficient health care to a broad spectrum of the Australian community.

“The recommendations would allow NPs to work to their full scope of practice and provide their patients access to MBS rebates for the wider range of procedures and services they could deliver, especially in areas where there are limited and poor in areas of Australia where communities have poor, or limited access to health services.”

Ms Butler said the recommendations align with the ANMF’s 2019-20 pre-Budget Submission to the Federal Government, calling for NPs to be given improved abilities to provide care in multi-disciplinary and advance care planning in residential aged care facilities; improving access to NP-performed procedures and NP-requested diagnostic imaging; enabling patients to access an MBS rebate for NP care in after-hours and out-of-clinic settings; removing the requirement for NPs to form collaborative arrangements will enable greater access to NP care and improving the ability of NPs to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient access to services through Closing the Gap pharmaceutical rebates.

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

Lori-Anne Sharp has also been re-elected Assistant Federal Secretary, with Sally-Anne Jones re-elected Federal President and James Lloyd re-elected Federal Vice President. All were elected unopposed.

Today Ms Butler thanked the ANMF’s growing 275,000-strong membership of nurses, midwives, assistants in nurses and carers throughout Australia for their trust for four more years.

“We are all deeply humbled that we have again been given the chance to represent and advocate for our growing membership who work in some of the most important positions of trust in the Australian community,” Ms Butler said.

“The continuing endorsement of our federal leadership team will inspire and drive our ongoing campaigns.

“This year, we will be continuing our focus on fixing the crisis in aged care, and fighting to get our politicians to legislate minimum staffing levels and skills mix in order to address the chronic understaffing in Australia’s aged care homes and provide safe, best practice care for elderly residents.

“Our members in aged care are struggling to cope and provide the care they know residents need, while providers are continuing to cut nursing and care staff hours in nursing homes.

“In the lead-up to the Federal Election and as the Royal Commission into aged care continues, we will be fighting for change on behalf of our members and the vulnerable nursing home residents they care for each and every day.”

Ms Butler and Ms Sharp will serve four-year terms, while Ms Jones and Mr Lloyd will serve two-year terms.

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members is the professional and industrial voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia. 

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390.

ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said that for many years the ANMF and other key experts have advocated for drug and alcohol related harm minimisation measures. Many of those measures have been introduced and have proved to be very successful in preventing avoidable deaths and overdoses. It’s now time for the Government to show national leadership and, in collaboration with frontline health experts, take serious action to introduce pill-testing trials.

“Supported by a significant volume of international evidence, Australian experts, nurses, doctors and others working in drug and alcohol services, are increasing their calls for pill-testing trials,” Ms Butler said.

“The evidence shows that pill testing is effective. Not only does it directly reduce harm from drug taking by preventing overdoses and unnecessary deaths, it can also lead to behaviour change amongst young people. Data has shown that when the results of pill-testing are presented to young people a majority will modify their drug taking behaviours and will share this message with their groups of friends.

“In addition to those benefits, pill-testing also provides an opportunity to share information and provide education around the risks and potential harms of drug taking. This is an opportunity that can be very difficult to find by other means.

“Policing and law enforcement strategies, while necessary at times, are simply not effective in preventing harm. Australia has an internationally recognised reputation in its approach to harm minimisation with regard to drug and alcohol use but we are falling way behind in our approach to pill-testing.

“Politicians must respond to the evidence, and while many calls are being made on state Premiers to introduce pill-testing trials which would be useful, there must be national leadership and coordination on this issue.

“Countries in Europe have been pill-testing since the 1990s, it’s time Australia’s political leaders took notice and took action before more young lives are lost.” 

The ANMF, the Australian Medical Association, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australasian College of Physicians, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Independent Member for Wentworth Dr Kerryn Phelps, Greens leader Senator Richard Di Natale and Drug and Alcohol experts, are among those who are calling on State and Federal Governments to implement pill-testing trials, with a number of music festivals being staged in coming weeks.

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

Federal Secretary Annie Butler said chronic understaffing and under regulation of our aged care system are the root causes of the horrific stories that have come to light, not just this week but over the last few months, and that no doubt will continue to emerge as the Royal Commission continues. Yet, nurses and doctors, and other health professionals, have been sounding alarms about these issues for over a decade, with no action.

“Australia has the opportunity to be a world leader in our delivery of aged care just as we are in our delivery of health care. Older Australians, those who cared for us as we grew, are entitled to affordable, accessible and high‐quality aged care services delivered by a professionally trained, accredited and dedicated workforce. They do not deserve the current chronic understaffing and underfunding that leads to unnecessary wait lists, unmet expectations, pain and suffering,” Ms Butler said today.

“The unregulated use of chemical and physical restraints in nursing homes again exposed this week provides yet another example of how the elderly are suffering as a result of chronic understaffing in aged care. Providing dignified care for vulnerable residents, particularly those with dementia and other complex high-care needs, requires the right number of nurses and carers with the right skill mix.  

“Time and time again, we have warned Governments of the effects of chronic understaffing in nursing homes. We have provided them with evidence of the dangerously low staffing levels that exist in too many nursing homes across the country, we have conducted rigorous academic research to provide evidence for the amount of staffing and care we know should be available in nursing homes, and we’ve even developed an implementation plan and a financial analysis for phasing in an evidence-based methodology for improved staffing – with no response.

“Our warnings, and the warnings of doctors and other front-line health professionals, our evidence, and our solutions were all ignored. Consequently, the situation has continued to worsen to the horrific levels we are witnessing now.

“One of the key barriers is that there is a culture of thinking that aged care, and the aged themselves, don’t deserve the attention or investment that we give to other sectors. That culture has to change. If we are to have any real hope of providing older Australians with the care they deserve, we must re-focus. The culture in aged care has long-been about profits, not people. As the public is starting to see now, it’s certainly not about prioritising the care needs of residents.

“The Aged Care Royal Commission is important and necessary but it should not mean a delay in reforms. If we continue to delay doing what we know is right it means at least another 18 months of pain and suffering for the elderly and, potentially, too many undignified deaths. 

“We know it requires investment but we also know that the investment will be recovered through more jobs and by productivity gains over time.

“The measure of a society is how it cares for its elderly, those who cared for us. Right now we don’t measure up, but we can, and we can become the world leader in care for the elderly we should be.

“Nurses, doctors and qualified health professionals agree, the system must introduce mandated minimum staffing ratios and skills mixes to finally end this crisis.”

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

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The ANMF says the nurses should have access immediately and not have to wait until 1 July 2020, as  announced by the Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and the Minister for Veterans Affairs Darren Chester.

“After fighting for over 20 years for the recognition they deserve, it is a great relief that our brave SEATO nurses will be provided with a Gold Card, like other veterans,” ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said today.

“Yet, the Government shouldn’t make them wait another 18 months to access medical treatment and other assistance and support they so urgently need.

“The SEATO nurses deployed to Vietnam by the Australian Government, should not have to wait a moment longer. Along with other members of the civilian, surgical and medical teams they have fought long and hard to be recognised for their crucial work in providing medical assistance to the local Vietnamese people who were victims of the conflict.

“SEATO nurse campaigner Dot Angell is disappointed that they’ll be forced to wait even longer for their Gold Card and says she will continue with their campaign.

“The ANMF will be supporting them until justice is achieved.

“The Treasurer and the Minister should act now and ensure SEATO nurses have access to their Gold Card immmediately.”
 

ANMF media release authorized by Federal Secretary Annie Butler. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 270, 500 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi – 0411 254 390

“With the calling of the Royal Commission, and now with this additional funding pledge, it’s clear that the Morrison Government recognises the crisis in aged care,” ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler, said today.

“Unfortunately for vulnerable nursing home residents and their families, the Government refuses to address, or quite frankly even acknowledge, the urgent need for mandated minimum staffing levels in all nursing homes, which would ensure best practice care.

“The ANMF is increasingly dismayed that despite an ongoing and growing body of evidence demonstrating the terrible consequences of chronic and critical understaffing in aged care and how this crisis can be fixed, the Government continues to ignore nurses and carers and the concerns of key experts in the sector.

“On the weekend, the ANMF was joined by key medical groups and experts, including the Chair of the 2018 Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce, Professor John Pollaers, who called on the Prime Minister to ensure safe care for all elderly Australians by legislating minimum staffing ratios in aged care. We also released evidence demonstrating that aged care ratios make economic sense.

“With over 127,000 elderly Australians still stuck on waiting lists for home care packages, this funding in the MYEFO is long-overdue, too little, too late. And it will do very little for nursing home residents who aren’t getting the care they need and deserve this Christmas.

“Older Australians are entitled to much better than this, and not just in the Christmas spirit of giving and sharing with our families, but because those who cared for us as we grew should be able to expect that we’d honour the investment they made in us and guarantee them safe, dignified care at the end of their lives.

“The evidence is before them. It’s time the Prime Minister and his Government showed real leadership and listen to it. “

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.  

The ANMF, with over 275.500 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

Independent economic analysis, undertaken by the Flinders University’s Australian Industrial Transformation Institute (AITI), not only outlines the financial benefits of implementing mandated minimum staffing levels for the care of the elderly but also warns of the ‘significant costs’ of not mandating the minimum levels of nursing and care hours in nursing homes.

ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler, says that ‘put simply, aged care ratios make economic sense’.

ANMF commissioned research, the National Aged Care Staffing and Skills Mix Project 2016 (the Project), the first of its kind in Australia, investigated care needs of elderly Australians living in nursing homes finding that an average of 4.3 nursing and care hours are needed each day and also identifying the ideal skills mix required to deliver this care.

“The research gave us the evidence about what’s required to address the current unacceptable gap in care being provided to our elderly but we know that to develop the skills and workforce to fill that gap and ensure safe and best practice care for all elderly Australians, a phased implementation plan and an understanding of the costs involved are needed”, Ms Butler said today.

“That’s why we commissioned the AITI to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of full implementation of the Project’s recommendations. The economic analysis shows that the benefits of implementing mandated minimum staffing hours outweigh the costs and warns against the costs of not implementing the recommendations. It also shows that the costs of increased staffing and improved skill mixes will be offset by savings in reduced workforce attrition and productivity gains, an increased tax take and reduced hospital system costs.

“Significantly, and for the first time, the analysis has quantified previously unrecognised benefits of the implementation of mandated minimum staffing and care levels. These include savings to the economy gained from reduced mortality of residents, improved quality of life for residents and their families and carers, as well as reduced stress and depression among residents as better staffing and care levels provide them with a better, healthier end of life experience. The analysis indicates that the benefits will grow over time, reaching an estimated $9.4 billion by 2036. So the investment will be well worth it.

“In terms of developing the workforce required, we estimate that at least 65,000 jobs will need to be created over the next 6 years; phased in with tiered increases in care hours over four stages from July 2019 to January 2025. An initial audit of current staffing levels and care hours by providers will need to be undertaken with exemptions granted to some rural and remote aged care facilities who may experience difficulties in recruiting suitably qualified staff.

“To achieve broad workforce improvements, we must also see wage increases of 10 – 15% for nurses and care-workers. This will be crucial to address current pay deficiencies and better reflect the value of the aged care workforce and its contribution to delivering best care outcomes for nursing home residents.

“The Morrison Government must address this before the next federal election. The Aged Care Royal Commission is important and necessary but it should not mean a delay in reforms, the most critical of which is the urgent need for improved staffing levels.

“If we continue to delay doing what we know is right it means at least another 18 months of pain and suffering and, potentially, too many undignified deaths.”

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Acting Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.  

The ANMF, with over 275,500 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and carers in Australia.

Media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

In June this year, the Taskforce delivered its report ‘A Matter of Care – Australia’s Aged Care Workforce Strategy’, which identified 14 strategic actions aimed at boosting workforce supply, addressing demand issues and improving workforce productivity. However, Professor Pollaers and the Federal Secretary of the ANMF, Ms Annie Butler, along with key medical groups, are deeply concerned that the report’s recommendations risk being ignored by politicians, who have now deferred the crisis in aged care to a Royal Commission.

Professor Pollaers and Ms Butler said today they recognise the Aged Care Royal Commission is important and necessary, but it should not mean a delay in reforms. If we continue to delay doing what we know is right it means at least another 18 months of pain and suffering for the elderly and, potentially, too many undignified deaths.  At the same time, we need to acknowledge the efforts of those in the workforce and aged care industry who strive daily to support those in need.

Following the statement from the ANMF, AMA, RACGP and ANZSGM, today Professor Pollaers and Ms Butler reiterate that:

“Australia has the opportunity to be a world leader in our delivery of aged care just as we are in our delivery of health care. Older Australians, those who cared for us as we grew, are entitled to affordable, accessible and high‐quality aged care services delivered by a professionally trained, accredited and dedicated workforce. They do not deserve the current chronic understaffing and underfunding that leads to unnecessary wait lists, unmet expectations, pain and suffering.

“Studies identify that the main reason for missed care, or low‐quality care, in residential aged care facilities is that there is not enough staff available. And in a sector with an increasingly poor record of
recruitment and retention of nurses and other key staff, shortages are now reaching critical proportions.

“Caring for elderly people, especially those with behavioural and psychological symptoms of Dementia and other disabling health conditions, is a stressful occupation requiring the right people with the right knowledge and skills to develop and implement holistic care plans customised to individual needs. Holistic care plans require focus on clinical, functional, and cognitive health along with living well aspirations and cultural needs. The workforce’s skills mix and staffing levels also needs to reflect the differing needs of all residents at different times.

“A living well model of care, which enables effective care delivery by dedicated registered nurses with qualified care‐workers and is guided by interdisciplinary teams of general practitioners, geriatricians, palliative care specialists, nurse practitioners, dietitians, speech pathologists and allied health workers, will result in safe and best practice care for our elderly.

“But the only way we can be sure that every elderly Australian has access to the safe and best practice care they deserve is to legislate minimum staffing ratios in aged care that deliver the holistic care plans required.

“Staffing ratios need not stifle innovation. Instead, they can lay the foundation on which better quality standards can be built. And while mandated staffing ratios alone are not the only indicator of high-quality aged care services, it is certain that high quality care cannot be achieved without them.

“We know it requires investment, but we also know that the investment will be recovered through more jobs and by productivity gains over time. All politicians must face up to the funding shortfall required to ensure the minimum staffing levels and skills mix are in place and that government funding is tied to the delivery of holistic care.

“The measure of a society is how it cares for its elderly, those who cared for us.

“Right now we don’t measure up, but we can, and we can become the world leader in care for the elderly we should be.”

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne. 

The ANMF, with over 275,500 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

In examining the Aged Care Amendment (Staffing Ratio Disclosure) Bill 2018 (the Bill), the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport, chaired by the Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman, recognised the urgent need to increase the level of transparency in the aged care system. Accordingly, last week the Committee’s report recommended that the Federal Parliament pass the Bill, as an important first step towards achieving transparency around aged care staffing.

The Committee also recommended that the Australian Government:

Legislate to ensure that residential aged care facilities provide for a minimum of one registered nurse to be on site at all times; and,
Specifically monitor and report on the correlation between standards of care (including complaints and findings of elder abuse) and staffing mixes to guide further decisions in relation to staffing requirements.

ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said today: “We commend the Chair and the Committee for listening to submissions from the ANMF, other aged care stakeholders and importantly, the community and their increasing concerns about the impact of chronically low staffing levels in nursing homes which are resulting in unnecessary pain and suffering.

“As Mr Zimmerman stated, the Committee received Submissions from ‘many residents and family members which outlined harrowing examples of mistreatment. This is not good enough for a nation like Australia.’

“It’s very encouraging that the Committee has acknowledged the urgent need to increase transparency in the aged care sector, particularly around staffing levels and the use of taxpayer funding. It’s equally encouraging that the committee recognised the need for registered nurse staffing to be available 24 hours a day for every nursing home resident in the country.

“In addition to the work of the Committee, we also recognise Rebekah Sharkie’s commitment to care of our elderly by introducing her Private Member’s Bill. It’s a good first step towards ensuring greater transparency and accountability for the billions of taxpayer funds provided to the sector and will assist older Australians and their families in choosing an aged care facility, which is directing those funds towards care for their loved ones.

“The Government cannot continue to wait for the Royal Commission, when Parliament resumes in the New Year, it must act on the Committee’s recommendations and start fixing the crisis in aged care.”

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne. 

The ANMF, with over 275,500 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

However, ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler, says the Senate Economics Reference Committee did not go far enough in making the big for-profit operators more accountable for the $2.17Billion in Government subsidies they receive and ensuring they use it on safe, best practice care for vulnerable nursing home residents.

“We believe that many of the recommendations lay the foundations for bringing greater transparency into the financial practices of for-profit providers, but more action is needed for us to have a real chance of fixing the crisis in aged care,” Ms Butler said today.

“Looking at all of the evidence that was presented to the Inquiry, the Government and our politicians must realise it’s time to listen to nurses and carers and it’s time to listen to elderly residents and their families – who are concerned that taxpayer funds aren’t being used to provide quality care. And that as a result, far too many nursing home residents are being neglected.

“Evidence to the Inquiry raised questions about the financial and tax practices of the for-profit providers, at a time when they are embarking on ‘cost-cutting measures such as employing too few staff and staff with lower levels of qualifications.’

“What is clear, highlighted in evidence given by the Tax Justice Network Australia, is that for-profit providers certainly have the capacity to employ more qualified nurses and care staff, but are focused on their bottom-line, with some paying little or no tax through their use of complex corporate structures. As the Committee stated, ‘each dollar that is taken for corporate purposes is a dollar that is not spent on the provision of care.’

“So whilst we welcome the Committee’s overall recommendation that for-profit providers be subject to greater transparency and accountability as a positive first step, we don’t believe that politicians should avoid making tough decisions about the practices of for profit aged care providers by deferring the most difficult issues to the Royal Commission.

“Every day we wait for the Royal Commission, more qualified nurses and care staff positions are cut and nursing and care hours slashed. That means that vulnerable residents are suffering without enough staff to care for them, as for-profit providers continue to use their Government subsidies to bolster their bottom line. Residents and their families can’t wait for up to two years for a Royal Commission, they need the Government to act now – to stop their suffering.”

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia. ANMF

Media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said evidence given to the Inquiry had clearly demonstrated that many of Australia’s top-for-profit providers still have questions to answer over their use of aggressive tax minimisation schemes, whilst receiving billions of dollars of Government subsidies meant for the care of elderly nursing home residents.

“We’ve had confirmed that there’s simply no accountability or transparency for the $2.17Billion in taxpayer funding given to the largest, for-profit operators, which makes up over 70% of their total revenue,” Ms Butler said today.

“Our members are increasingly distraught that these big operators clearly have the financial capacity to be employing more nurses and carers, but are choosing to put their profits and returns to shareholders before the safe care of their elderly residents.

“As we’ve seen highlighted in the Four Corners’ exposes of the neglect and abuse in the aged care sector, vulnerable Australians are suffering as a result of nurses and carers being sacked and care hours being slashed at nursing homes across the country.

“But instead of using Government funding for the safe, best practice care of the elderly, for-profit providers, some foreign-entities, are maximising their profits and dividends, getting away with paying little or no tax through their use of complex corporate structures and related party transactions.

“The Inquiry has heard that large operators like Singapore-listed Opal (part-owned by AMP Capital) paid its owners more than $15 million in dividends in the year that the operating company paid no tax. Another major provider, Allity, never paid income tax and used a 15% interest loan to eliminate its tax liabilities.

“Bupa and Regis didn’t even appear at the Inquiry, with the Acting Chair, Senator Jenny McAllister saying that it ‘raises questions about what they have to hide’.

“The ANMF is pleased that the Inquiry has lifted the lid on the tax practices of Australia’s big for-profit aged care providers and to ensure transparency and public accountability we are calling on Senators to adopt our two recommendations to the Inquiry:

“1. That any operator receiving over $10Million in Government funding must be required by law to file full audited financial statements with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)

2. That companies disclose all transactions between trusts or similar parties that form part of their corporate structures.”

Senators will hand down their findings next Tuesday, 27 November.

To view a report by the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability & Research (CICTAR) - Who Cares For What? Australia’s Largest For-Profit Nursing Home Chains – go to: http://bit.ly/cictaragedcarebrief

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia. ANMF

Media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

The information that you provide will be invaluable in helping the newly graduating nurses and midwives from your year and future years in securing employment.

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ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler described the Aged Care Amendment (Staffing Ratio Disclosure) Bill 2018, as a vital first step in making taxpayer-funded aged providers publicly accountable for the level and type of staffing they provide to their residents. Already, 29 of 33 published Submissions to a Parliamentary Inquiry have supported the Bill, which was moved by the Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie.

The Bill is now being examined by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport, which had earlier recommended that the Government impose a mandatory staffing ratio of 1 x Registered Nurse (RN) on roster at all aged care facilities 24/7.

The Committee’s Chair, the Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman, said: “While many Australians experience high quality aged care, the community is justifiably concerned about the many examples of abuse and mistreatment that have been exposed through recent inquiries and reporting. Our Committee received submissions from many residents and family members which outlined harrowing examples of mistreatment. This is not good enough for a nation like Australia.”

Ms Butler said the ANMF was encouraged that the Committee recognised the urgent need for mandated minimum staffing levels in Australia’s residential aged care homes.

“The ANMF has been calling for minimum staff ratios in nursing homes to be legislated to give certainty for elderly residents and their families that the right numbers of staff, with the right mix of skills, are available at all times to provide them with the safe, best practice care they deserve. Ms Sharkie’s Bill would be an excellent first step towards achieving safe staffing levels, by making providers publicly report on the staffing and skills mix levels offered in their facilities,” Ms Butler explained.

“The decision to place a relative or loved one in a nursing home is an incredibly stressful, emotional experience for individuals and the family which is why we believe this simple disclosure of staffing ratios would assist consumers and family members in making an informed decisions about which home to choose.”

Ms Butler will give evidence to the Health, Aged Care and Sport Standing Committee at a public roundtable of stakeholders in Canberra today, as part of the its Inquiry into Aged Care.

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390

The rallies are being held in capital cities and selected regional towns, as part of Australian Council of Trade Union’s Change the Rules campaign, aiming to provide decent, living wages for Australia’s underpaid workers.

ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said wage disparity was particularly pertinent in the aged care sector, where qualified nurses are being paid up to $200 a week less than their colleagues working in public hospitals.

“The chronic understaffing in residential aged care facilities means that nurses are run off their feet, with ever-dwindling numbers of nurses caring for an increasing number of residents. Workloads have risen to dangerously high levels and nurses are being paid significantly less than they deserve,” Ms Butler said today.

“Some aged care providers are posting massive profits, with the top-six for profit providers reaping-in over $2Billion in taxpayer subsidies, but it’s not flowing through to underpaid nurses and carers working in aged care. Insufficient staffing levels are compromising the care provided to our vulnerable elderly living in nursing homes.

“We know that the cost of living is spiraling while wages are just not keeping up. ‘Trickle down’ economics has failed and inequality is at a 70 year high.

“The ANMF encourages all nurses, midwives and carers to come together in solidarity with other unions and march today to change the rules and achieve better pay and conditions for average working Australians”

Authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

Media contact: Richard Lenarduzzi on 0411 254390

They say nurses have a “responsibility to advocate for the fair and compassionate treatment of people who at risk and in need of health care, including those who are enduring mental health distress and despair.”

The Federal Secretary of the ANMF, Annie Butler, said Mr Morrison must order the evacuation of children and their families from Nauru as a matter of urgency to stop their suffering.

“Australia’s current policy of keeping babies, young children and their families locked-up in mandatory detention centres is morally reprehensible,” Ms Butler said today.

“As nurses, we are all too-aware of the devastating impacts that mandatory detention is having on the physical, mental and emotional health of asylum seekers, particularly those young children living behind bars.

“In joining the College of Mental Health Nurses, the Australian Medical Association (AMA), Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) and a host of other peak NGO and health professional groups, we are lending our voice to growing number of calls for the humane treatment of refugees being detained on Nauru and Manus Island.

“Mr Morrison must listen and act.”

Authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

Media contact: Richard Lenarduzzi on 0411 254390

Anti-Poverty Week is a week where all Australians are encouraged to organise or take part in an activity aiming to highlight or overcome issues of poverty and hardship here in Australia or overseas. It was established in Australia as an expansion of the UN's annual International Anti-Poverty Day on October 17. In 2018, Anti-Poverty Week will be held from the 14th to the 20th of October.

The main aims of Anti-Poverty Week are to:

• Strengthen public understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty and hardship around the world and in Australia; and
• Encourage research, discussion and action to address these problems, including action by individuals, communities, organisations and governments.

Everyone is encouraged to help reduce poverty and hardship by organising an activity during the Week or taking part in an activity organised by others.

• Calendar of Activities 2018

The ANMF is a key national sponsor of Anti-Poverty Week.

NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association organiser Viola Morris met with employees of the Japara Healthcare facility today after learning staff numbers would be reduced by two on day and night shifts.

“Today the nurses found out there were going to be dramatic cuts in staffing including the loss of two assistants in nursing on night shift – they will go from staffing of six, to four, for 90-odd residents,” she said.

“The nurses have already expressed to me they have serious concerns about resident care – they worry that residents will be left and buzzers will go unanswered.

“There’s a dementia unit in the facility and they worry that residents with dementia will be left if there’s a fall in another area of the facility."

One nurse said the staffing ratios were already stretched and what was “short-staffed now is the proposed new roster”.

“We’re getting staff who are injured, on light duties and work cover, and that’s not a coincidence when we work short people are getting injured,” she said.

“(When someone is unavailable for a shift) it doesn’t get filled … we just knuckle down and run basically, we don’t stop. People get left in bed because we don't have the time to get them up.

“This morning there was a resident who had an appointment and had to be ready at 7am – that’s three staff for a transfer, so that’s all your night staff on one resident.

“We’re not allowed to tell the residents when we’re short-staffed but they know – they see us rushing down the hallways, whipping through making bed and not having those couple of minutes to just have a chat.

“How are we going to keep the standards expected of us from our residents, their families, the company and ourselves?” Another nurse said given the recent shortfalls in aged care homes outlined in Four Corners over the past fortnight, the decision to reduce hours was not a good one. “A lot of them (the residents) have watched Four Corners as well – they’re not stupid,” she said.

“Aged care is in crisis and there’s not enough staff to meet the need.

“There should be one nurse to five residents – that means they can do everything for five people.”

A Japara spokeswoman said the company was reviewing the roster at the Albury facility.

“We want to ensure we have the right mix of staff and resources available to meet residents' needs,” she said.

“Our review will include consultation with the people involved over the next few weeks.”

A number of staff gathered for a photo but The Border Mail decided not to publish it, due to concerns about a directive sent to staff not to speak to the media.

“The audit of members at five facilities in Julie Collins electorate on the eastern shore, revealed some shocking results that we have been hearing from members for a number of years in regard to ratios, safe patient care, rationing of basic care and hygiene items, and long waiting times,” said ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd.

“Results from the audit showed that of the five facilities targeted, only one of those provided more than one hour of care to its residents over the afternoon shift – a shift that normally runs from 2pm to 11pm.  The number of care hours provided by the other four well known facilities ranged from approximately 30 minutes to 50 minutes of direct patient care during this period,” said Ms Shepherd.

“During this period staff are expected to provide adequate care to residents including; medication administration, assistance at meal times, assistance with preparing for bed including hygiene needs, toileting, pressure area prevention care, monitoring and identifying the risk of a fall, documentation for the residents, and social interactions with residents.”

“It is little wonder that proper care is being missed and concerned family are taking matters into their own hands. Staff are under resourced and over worked due to providers putting profits before care and it is our elderly who are suffering as a result.”

“Four of the facilitates surveyed last night reported having locked dementia units. These are high care units, however our audit showed that staffing in these areas was severely lacking. One facility reported that they had no registered nurses or enrolled nurses rostered on and that two care workers were rostered over 2 shifts to manage the 12 patients,” said Ms Shepherd.

“To those in the community who question that the situation is as dire as the Four Corners series presented, this is the daily reality and it is time that we call out the systematic mistreatment and neglect of our elderly Australians by some aged care providers”

“It is heartbreaking to see that all surveyed members reported that staffing levels at their facilities were not adequate. At all five of the facilities surveyed they reported that rationing of basic care items like pads were limited to three per patient per day. They further reported that they were unable to provide the care that they wanted and were required to, due to poor staffing,” said Ms Shepherd.

“Members reported that staffing levels had led directly to pressure injuries in residents due to there not being enough time to reposition residents as often as needed, and that residents needed to wait longer than they should for assistance or help. Further, members also reported that medications were delayed or missed due to time constraints on staff.”

“The ANMF audit is evidence of the disturbing treatment of vulnerable aged care residents who are not being recognised by our government or industry regulators. Continued warnings from the ANMF, our members, concerned family and industry have fallen on deaf ears.”

“Despite the announcement of a Royal Commission into aged care, we continue to hear from nurses, care workers, and consumers of dangerously low staffing levels which are resulting in neglect -  we need the government to act immediately and implement minimum staffing ratios to resolve this dire situation and treat our elderly with the respect and dignity they deserve,” said Ms Shepherd.

Today the ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd delivered to the Hon Julie Collins MP her own personal aged care hamper to highlight the realities versus the promises of aged care facilities. The ANMF are calling on Julie Collins to pledge her support to our national campaign to make ratios law NOW! and protect our elderly.

“It is disappointing that to date Julie has not agreed to pledge her support for the ANMF campaign to see ratios legislated despite the fact that the facilities surveyed in her own electorate cite poor staffing as the reason for not being able to provide safe and quality resident care,” said Ms Shepherd.

“The ANMF today have welcomed the support of Andrew Wilkie MP, Independent Member for Denison, to the ratios campaign. The ANMF and our members are buoyed by this support and acknowledgement that ratios and safe staffing are the foundation of safe and quality care provision to aged care residents. The ANMF will be seeking the support of all federal politicians as part of this campaign in the lead up to the Royal Commission and Federal Election.”

• GRIFFITH: ALP Member of Parliament Terri Butler (25 May),
• HERBERT: ALP Member of Parliament Cathy O’Toole (12 May),
• LILLEY: ALP retiring Member of Parliament Wayne Swan (12 May),
• LONGMAN: ALP Member of Parliament Susan Lamb (31 May),
• MORETON: ALP Member of Parliament Graham Perrett (19 July),
• OXLEY: ALP Member of Parliament Milton Dick (23 July).

QLD Senators: ALP Senator Anthony Chisolm (24 September) and ALP Senator ALP Claire Moore (25 September).

Qld Federal Candidates: 

• BONNER: ALP candidate Jo Briskey (13 September),
• CAPRICORNIA: ALP candidate Russell Robertson (17 September),
• FLYNN: ALP candidate Zac Beers (11 September),
• FORDE: ALP candidate Des Hardman (14 September),
• HINKLER: ALP candidate Richard Pascoe (11 May),
• PETRIE: ALP candidate Corrine Mulholland (17 September),
• LILLEY: ALP candidate Anika Wells (12 May).

Ms Mohle said since 2009, the QNMU had made submissions to 29 federal, state and other agency aged care inquiries.

The federal government’s royal commission into aged care, announced on September 16 ahead of Four Corner’s report on aged care, will be the 30th investigation in nine years. Four Corners aired the second part of the investigation last night.

“The time for change is now because the problems in aged care have already been identified,’’ Ms Mohle said.

“While we welcome scrutiny of Australia’s aged care industry, elderly Australians will continue to suffer in the year or more it takes a royal commission to make its findings.

“I urge politicians who genuinely care to act.’’

Ms Mohle also called on aged care providers to make their rosters publicly available to paying residents and potential residents.

Australian aged care providers recently received more than $16 billion in federal taxpayer funds, yet they do not have to report how any of these funds were spent.

Providers also reported more than $1 billion in collective profits. They also receive around 80 per cent of resident pensions, or up to $800 per bed, per fortnight.

To join the campaign for change please visit www.morestaffforagedcare.com.au

“Like the rest of Australia, our members were shocked at the footage aired on last night’s Four Corners,” ANMF A/Federal Secretary, Lori-Anne Sharp, said today.

“We have zero tolerance to any form of physical, mental or emotional abuse of vulnerable nursing home residents. What we saw should never be allowed to happen in a civilized society.
 
“Despite an inquiry into elderly abuse; a damning report and recommendations by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) and ongoing concerns from our members and the families of nursing homes residents, there has been little recognition or response from our political leaders and aged care regulators. It has fallen on deaf ears.

“Successive governments have allowed providers to sack highly-trained nurses and reduce hundreds upon hundreds of nursing care hours. The community has lost trust in the system. We need to mandate staff ratios and ensure adequate training for care staff. Our elderly citizens deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

“Sadly, the stories of abuse and neglect will continue unless the Federal Government listens to our concerns and mandates staffing ratios in residential nursing homes.

“It is little wonder that some families have taken matters into their own hands and what we saw last night suggests they feel they have nowhere else to go. We share their outrage and distress. We urge anyone who has any concerns or complaints to continue to report to the Aged Care Complaints Commission and hold them to account.

“We must call out the systemic mistreatment and neglect of our elderly Australians because of chronic understaffing, inadequate training of carers and reduced numbers of registered nurses in residential aged care.

“What we saw last night is happening right now. The Federal Government cannot wait for the Royal Commission, it must introduce mandated staffing levels now, to protect our elderly.”

ANMF media release authorised by Lori-Anne Sharp, A/Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.  

The ANMF, with over 268,500 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi – 0411 254 390

“Our members have long-been raising their concerns about dangerously low staffing levels in nursing homes, as well as practices uncovered by tonight’s program, such as restriction of continence pads and appallingly unhealthy food. The revelations from the program are beyond distressing, they are intolerable,” ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said.

“As a society, we have a moral obligation to stop this neglect and abuse of the elderly, we cannot allow it to continue, not for one single day longer.

“Every day that we wait for the Federal Government to act on staffing shortages, is yet another day that the most vulnerable members of our society are forced to suffer – without proper care, without proper food, without compassion and without dignity. Voiceless and abandoned.

“We commend the workers and residents’ families who bravely spoke out on tonight’s Four Corners program for their commitment to stand up for the care of our elderly and exposing the problems in aged care homes across Australia.

“Despite the very best efforts of many dedicated aged nurses and care workers, without minimum staffing ratios it just isn’t possible for them to deliver the care that elderly residents need. There is no law, no minimum standard or any form of evidence based model for safe staffing in aged care.  

“And although aged care providers receive billions of dollars annually in tax-payer funded subsidies, there is no law to guarantee that this money is used to ensure safe and best practice care for every elderly Australian living in nursing homes. We need to ensure public funding goes directly to care provision.

“While the crisis in aged care exposed tonight clearly warrants a Royal Commission, we know what the problems are. We have two decades’ of reports and inquiries outlining the problems. It’s time to take action. Let’s start by introducing a safe staffing law now.”

“It’s time to stand up and fight for more staff for aged care, because no one deserves to be treated like this.

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.  

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia. 

Media contact: Richard Lenarduzzi on 0411 254390

“Every day that the Government fails to act on the dangerous understaffing in nursing homes across the country is another day that vulnerable residents are still at risk,” ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said today.

“We can’t allow a Royal Commission to delay action from the Government any longer. This Government has had five years to fix the problems in aged care – they must stop the suffering now.

“Current research demonstrates the gaps in care for our elderly in nursing homes – on average nursing home residents are receiving only 2 hours 50 minutes of care per day, well below the 4 hours 18 minutes they should be getting.

“This is because there is no evidence based minimum staffing standard for nursing homes and no national laws to guarantee appropriate ratios of qualified nursing staff and aged care workers. Too often there may be only 1 registered nurse manage the care for over 100 nursing home residents, or only one carer to feed, bathe, dress and mobilise 16 residents in less than an hour.

“Despite the very best efforts of dedicated aged nurses and care workers, without minimum staffing ratios it just isn’t possible for them to deliver the care that elderly residents need. It’s no coincidence that over the past 13 years we’ve seen a 400% increase in preventable deaths in nursing homes and until the chronic understaffing in the system is fixed, elderly, vulnerable nursing home residents will remain at risk.

“Aged care providers receive billions of dollars annually in tax-payer funded subsidies but there is no law to guarantee that this money is used to ensure safe and best practice care for every elderly Australian living in nursing homes. We need to ensure funding goes directly to care provision.

“While the current aged care crisis clearly warrants a Royal Commission, we know what the problems are. We have two decades’ of reports and inquiries outlining the problems. It’s time to take action. Let’s start by introducing a safe staffing law.” 

Ms Butler said the ANMF will work with all stakeholders to implement safe staffing ratios and a funding mechanism which guarantees care before profits and assures taxpayers that their funds are being used to provide best care to their elderly loved ones.  

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.  

The ANMF, with over 275,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

Media contact: Richard Lenarduzzi on 0411 254 390

That's why we're calling on Victorian Upper House Liberals, Nationals, Greens and crossbenchers to improve nurse and midwife/patient ratios by passing the Safe Patient Care Amendment Bill unamended now.

This Bill will mean an additional 600 nurses and midwives in the public sector health system, caring for Victorian patients, mothers and babies. It makes our health system safer, and ensures we can provide Victorians with the quality care they need.

With only one sitting week left, it's vital that we pass this bill unamended now, before the government enters pre-election caretaker mode. This can only happen with the support of crossbenchers in the Upper House. Please sign the petition now to send them two messages – don’t amend and pass the Bill.

The Aged Care (Single Quality Framework) Reform Bill 2018 was introduced into Parliament yesterday. Senator Derryn Hinch moved the Amendment, calling for mandated ratios for registered nurses (RN) and carers in all nursing homes across the country.

As part of his investigations into aged care, Senator Hinch said he had met aged care nurses who had been troubled that residents in nursing homes had been “neglected” because chronic understaffing meant that nurses did not have the time “to do their job”.

“We are continuing to hear the same stories from our members working in nursing homes, that the lack of nurses and suitably-trained care workers means that their ability to provide basic care, such as feeding and bathing is being severely compromised,” ANMF Assistant Federal Secretary, Lori-Anne Sharp, said today.

“Our Federal Government is allowing this to happen by not ensuring safe levels of staff. Without mandated staffing ratios, aged care providers are free to determine staffing levels. Sadly, on many occasions profits have come before care. This is unacceptable and our vulnerable elderly deserve better.”

Senator Hinch named a long-list of fellow Senators and MPs who had publically pledged their support for the ANMF’s Time for Ruby aged care campaign and said over 230,000 people had put their name to a petition (Mandate aged care staff/resident ratios. Stop the neglect).

“On behalf of our members, nursing home residents and their families, we thank Senator Hinch and those Senators including The Australian Greens, The Centre Alliance and Senator Storer who stood up for elderly Australians by voting to make ratios law,” Ms Sharp said.

“The ANMF is determined to fix the crisis in aged care. We commend the growing list of Senators and MPs who have personally pledged their support for the urgent need to mandate staffing ratios – it will be front and centre of our campaigning in the lead up to the federal election.”

ANMF media release authorised by Annie Butler Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

The ANMF, with over 268,500 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390.