The Federal Government has called on aged care providers to reconsider decisions to make Enrolled Nurses (ENs) redundant, labelling it as an unacceptable move for the industry.
Some providers around the country have indicated they will be substituting ENs with Registered Nurses (RNs) and personal care workers (PCWs), claiming that funding changes make it difficult to keep ENs on board.
Southern Cross Care Tasmania (SCCT) recently announced that ENs, lifestyle officers and servery staff would be offered new positions or voluntary redundancies, as part of their operations revamp in lieu of the Government’s decision to fund ENs as carers instead of nurses.
Now the Government has re-entered the conversation, as the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, released a statement late last Friday expressing disappointment towards SCCT for making this move.
“We are also highly concerned that SCCT are making Enrolled Nurses redundant because of incorrect claims these roles are no longer funded by the Government,” said Minister Butler.
“Qualified and experienced Enrolled Nurses are a critical component of the aged care workforce as are those carers who provide direct care to some of the most vulnerable in Australia.
“These are decisions of SCCT – not the Government.
“At a time when there has been a significant increase in Federal funding for care and when there are acute workforce shortages, we are disappointed that SCCT is proposing to terminate the employment of longstanding, experienced and dedicated nursing staff.”
As part of the new mandates for 200 care minutes per resident each day to be introduced in October 2023, the Government will fund $5.4 billion over four years to support providers and ensure they can deliver the correct number of care minutes.
Mr Butler said ENs need to be included in that direct care workforce and he strongly urged SCCT to reconsider its decision.
“It is unacceptable that after the findings and recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety that a small minority of providers are looking to lower the standard of care available to residents in aged care facilities,” said Minister Butler.
“As recommended by the Royal Commission, Enrolled Nurses need to be included in the direct care workforce to ensure there is the right mix of skills to deliver high quality care.
“We will always put the needs of vulnerable older Australians first and support the workers that deliver this critical care.”
Minister Butler said the Department of Health and Aged Care will provide a response in the near future to prevent ENs from losing their positions.
The Government had been called on to take immediate action after the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) asked them to intervene and stop skilled nurses from being lost from the aged care industry.
ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler, was pleased to see the Government’s announcement and said they will work together to mandate specified minimum care minutes for all nursing roles.
Under the current mandates, 40 minutes of care must be with an RN, but there are no requirements for the remaining 160 care minutes.
“The ANMF and our members across Australia are pleased the Government has listened to our concerns,” said Ms Butler.
“The Government understands the vital role that highly-trained ENs play in providing quality, safe care to vulnerable, elderly Australians living in nursing homes, as recommended by the Royal Commission.
“The ANMF will now work with the Government to ensure that it mandates specify minimum RN/EN/PCW care minutes, to protect the jobs of our ENs in aged care and, most importantly, strengthen the aged care workforce to guarantee quality care delivery.”
She said ANMF will be advocating in Canberra next week as a delegation of ENs and RNs are set to meet with Government Ministers in Canberra.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Catholic Health Australia (CHA), Pat Garcia, has defended SCCT and criticised those who have opted to single out the provider for its actions.
Mr Garcia said SCCT continues to provide an excellent quality of care and it should not be used to send a signal to the broader aged care sector.
“Despite financial losses, it continues to invest in new services for its 650 residents, including new on-site kitchens that will deliver better quality food,” said Mr Garcia
“It is also giving residents more control over their type of care with a new model that aims to replicate a home-like environment.
“The provider is already delivering nursing coverage on a 24-hour seven day a week basis and is on track to meet the 200 minutes of care that will be mandated in a little under a year from now.”
Mr Garcia said it would be better to focus on actual policy changes rather than picking on providers.
“Letting Enrolled Nurses contribute to the 40 nurse care minutes will ease the burden on Registered Nurses and help providers find enough staff,” said Mr Garcia.
“Enrolled Nurses are more than capable of performing daily care including taking blood pressure tests and developing clinical care plans.
“We should allow them to continue performing those duties by recognising them in the 40 nurse care minutes.”
According to CHA modelling, an additional 6,000 RNs and 10,000 PCWs will be needed to meet care mandates, including having an RN on duty 24/7 from July 2023.
Ozcare in Qld stopped employing EEN’s a few years ago, they put them on the floor as care workers but continued to pay them the award rate for EEN’s. This year when they were unable to get agency R/N’s to replace regular R/N’s they started using EEN’s again.
Boltonclarke acacia living are about to start this system by October. They reducing the hours of PCW and making ENs as a carer. ENs keep their title but will do PCW job.
The pcw’s are also capable of doing blood pressure checks also if confident in checking diabetes, also there temperature as well wouldn’t that help plus you see if pwc worker would like to further there career or the Ens might want to further there career to become RN.
As usual the government want to defend a position and promote the view that they support the industry and Enrolled Nurse. For years the guidelines were clear that enrolled nurses had no status with the government. The old residential care manual stated that “All initial and ongoing assessments and care plans must be undertaken by a registered nurse……… When the standard of education of Enrolled Nurses improved and they all became “endorsed” the government did nothing to recognise those changes then, but now want to claim they support them. The very fact that minutes of care calculations exclude enrolled nurses now is evidence of the views that government hold about them.
This is a case of the tail wagging the dog. These Home Care Providers not only run roughshod over the oldies but the Government as well. This Industry is responsible for billions of Aust Taxpayers money and much more control over how it is used is long overdue.When Aged Care Dept. does an audit of a HCP, they never talk to the customers do they!
The government should be concerned. Often the RN’s employed are new graduates with little to no experience. As an EN there were many times I had to correct a new great RN.
Again, it’s all about the dollars.
This would be a very sad loss to the industry, a lot of EEN’s were PCW prior to their nursing diploma
They have life & people skills.
I feel the industry is going backwards
Isnt it about time that the greedy aged care industry was taken on wholehardily by he government and consuder the aged care people as the losers every time.
Yes I agree!
Received our first EB a few days ago. It is worse than anyone couldnimagine. The union has been fighting with my company of employment for 2 yrs. Last EB was 2018. This is how long the fight for workers rights and pay have been going on. They expect us to work 10 hr shifts not 8 without penalty rates! They can sack us for no real reason.shift workers will not get 6 weeks paid holidays anymore only 5 depending on the hrs they work. They said our roster will be changed at the last minute. We can have our rostered days off changed to one day off instead of 2 or more days off together!! They want to cut overtime in all situations and not paynstaff overtime tonwork 10jr shifts. The Fair work stated at the last minute that they will.not intervene in EBs that have already gone through. The union have only 2 weeks to negotiate with the Fair Work before we are to agree or not to agree with the EB.This feels like a nightmare. They can make us work 3 hrs min and they will also be giving us personal contracts to sign. The union will not see these as they will not be keeping any paper agreements signed by staff!!!!
PS. APPARENTY WE ARE ONLY GETTING 2% PAY RISE. The company won’t say how much but union says 2%. OMG!!!!
I understand that every payrise is expensive for any company with thousands of people in the industry and now I feel it isn’t the money as much as the horrible new conditions they have put in the EB. Seems incredibly nasty.
If you are required to have a cert 4 in lifestyle and wellbeing, also have a diploma in dementia care why are you regarded as not being part of care minutes or lower than a PCA you want residents or clients engaged in life but only in going to the bathroom having a shower or being feed, if they do not feel empowered or engaged youwill not have to care for them
It’s all about $$$ and profit
People’s lives are at risk
PCA taking BPs and giving out heart meds they have no idea about
Just numbers and pills to them
Tragedy waiting to happen for these residents in ages care
Churches of Christ in QLD already doing it ….commission already in there investigating because of lack of care and not enough Registered staff on floor . 2 RNs and PCA doing meds and vitals !