The unions representing aged care workers have released a proposal to fix Australia’s struggling aged care system. Supporting the proposal, the Queensland Nursing and Midwifery Union has provided a link that enables you to send a letter directly to the PM calling for more staff and better training in aged care.
The proposal comes following reports that Queensland aged care providers had laid off staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the government had taken no action.
The QNMU says the removal of safe staffing laws in private aged care meant Queensland aged care providers have legally been allowed to cut nurses and other staff even when residents faced their most challenging time.
“These cuts could mean the difference between life and death, yet the Prime Minister and federal government have refused to take any action. This must change,” said QNMU Secretary Beth Mohle.
The plan’s aim is “to fix our broken aged care system, protect workers who have been at the front line of the fight against the virus, and provide better quality care to older Australians”.
The unions involved are the Health Services Union, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation and United Workers Union, which represent aged care workers.
These workers perform “invaluable work in incredibly difficult conditions” and have been “let down by a government who has ignored critical issues in aged care”, a statement says.
The unions are calling for:
ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler says the current aged care system is unsafe for both staff and residents.
“Long before the COVID-19 pandemic began, and as exposed by the Aged Care Royal Commission, chronic and widespread understaffing across the aged care system had created unsafe environments for both workers and those they cared for.
“The pandemic has now revealed just how dangerous understaffing is, with tragic consequences for far too many older Australians and their families.”
“Mandating minimum staffing levels must be an urgent priority… If that doesn’t happen, safe, quality care cannot be guaranteed and the pain and suffering of elderly Australians will go on,” she said.
HSU President, Gerard Hayes, said the aged care system is reliant on the “goodwill of a highly casualised and underpaid female-dominated workforce that often retire into poverty.”
Carolyn Smith, aged care director, United Workers Union, said the stories from the front line of aged care are harrowing.
“Our members tell us every day they are forced to make the choice between completing their tasks or properly looking after those they care for.
“They tell us the system is so broken and so understaffed their timetables don’t allow them the simple humanity of pausing to have a chat with people as they prepare their shower.
“The pressures on aged care staff leaves our members demoralised and burnt out, and helps explain why Australia has one of the world’s worst staff retention rates in aged care.”
ACTU President, Michele O’Neil, the aged care system must go back to the drawing board.
“Privatisation is a failed experiment in aged care and has failed working people and the people they care for.”
There are no federal government laws that require even one Registered Nurse (RN) to be on site at a private aged care facility at any time. The QNMU has repeatedly called for safe staffing laws to be introduced in private aged care over many years.
To send a letter to Mr Morrison calling for urgent change to protect elderly Australians, visit www.qnmu.org.au/StopTheCuts.
Qualified staffing levels are disgracefully low or non existent. You should be totally ashamed of the pathetic staffing levels in many aged care facilities. Overall staff levels are too small to provide adequate care. Staff also need to be working full shifts and be employed for enough hours at just one facility to earn a decent living, rather than several places. This is to provide for consistent and knowledgeable care of their clients.
Nursing homes definitely need a lot more staff ,the carer resistance needs to be fix …not later but now …it’s a disgrace…the whole system needs fixing straight away ….stop talking about it a fix it ….these people are in nursing homes because they need the up most care and time as their loved ones can no longer provide it for them ..
No one wants to put someone they love in a nursing home ….
The government and the private nursing homes have been failing the elderly and vulnerable for years ,time to stop turning a blind eye and fix all these problems …
It should Never ever be about money
It’s about duty of care and they need more qualified carers and nursing staff in all areas and facilities Australia wide ..no ifs Buts or maybes
Fix it and fix it now
Definitely must have more registered nurses and improved training for other workers in Aged Care.
The current ratios are disgraceful and our relatives and friends in Nursing Homes are being shunned by our government.
Stop giving the quasi government and private sector money – take control and take over care and control of all aged care facilities, do away with the middle men who are profiting by aged care money, and make sure that all the money the Federal Government gives goes to where it is needed – the old people, their nurses and accommodation and not the shareholders of private companies and organisations.
They may be giving enough but the Nursing home owners are Big business & keeping it for ‘Profits’. There needs more regulations/control of where the money is spent. Stop supporting big business & start looking after our older & sick people
More RN’s in Aged Care Homes are required.
To teach and supervise staff. To make sure the quality care is provided to each and every person in the home.
Dignity, empathy, love, care our aged residents have been the past generation to bring us to the status we live in today . And just because they have an aging body it does not meant they are dum!
Isn’t it already very hard tu realize that your brilliant mind is in this body which can not do the things any more it used to do ?
It’s a shame ! Protect and care for our aged you will be there one day and will have to say to yourself ,
This is how it feels to be old and defenseless ,
Do the right thing
Get more staff and more aged packages out there