6 March 2019

Ratios in Aged Care – Update

On 13 February 2019 the Federal Secretary of the ANMF Annie Butler gave evidence to the Royal Commission, explaining how the systemic sub-standard and inadequate care provided to vulnerable residents who live in aged care facilities can be addressed by the implementation of mandated staffing ratios and skills mix. In her submissions she explained how the research commissioned by the ANMF establishes a benchmark for the minimum staffing levels and skills mix required to ensure safe care for every elderly resident. She also explained that the introduction of these recommended staffing levels and skills mix over time will be both cost neutral and bring invaluable benefit to the lives of elderly people in residential aged care.

The Royal Commission has since released its first background paper on the current aged care system called “Navigating the maze: an overview of Australia’s current aged care system” [full text can be found here https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/Documents/background-paper-1.pdf ]. The report clearly demonstrates that the Royal Commission recognises that staffing, retention and skill mix are significant issues.

“Successive reviews of the aged care system have framed the workforce challenges facing the aged care sector. There have been longstanding concerns around workforce numbers and skills mix, attraction, retention and career paths, remuneration and the levels of skills and qualifications. It is also recognised that the aged care workforce will need to expand considerably as the population ages and adopt new models of care and scopes of practice to meet changing expectations.”

While the Royal Commission will release its recommendations in the first half of 2020, we need our federal politicians to commit to take action to implement change.  We need to make sure aged care is an election issue and we will continue to meet with candidates from all political persuasions to ask them to sign on to our Ratios for Aged Care campaign.

You can help by distributing copies of the attached flyer [Change the Rules flyer] and talking to your family and friends about the importance of our federal politicians committing to act to ensure our grandparents, parents and loved ones receive the care they need and deserve.

Aged Care South

Glenview
ANMF are currently working with nurses and care staff at Glenview to put together a proposed Enterprise Agreement (EA).

The meetings have been very productive and ANMF are glad to be able to meet with management to discuss the due process, and at this stage get the nurses agreement underway where staff will be informed about the progress of the Enterprise Agreement (EA).

ANMF are looking forward to working with all staff including care staff to achieve better working conditions for everyone.

Huon Regional Care
ANMF and Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) have been attending member meetings across all of the aged care facilities in the south of the state.

To keep our members well informed of the offer put forward by Huon Regional Care for the Enterprise Agreement (EA), ANMF will attend the next negotiation meeting and put forward what our members have decided.

ANMF along with HACSU will report back to members the outcome of the next meeting.