With 2022 being a year where there was a federal election in addition to the annual handing down of the federal budget, peak bodies in nursing and midwifery have been advocating strongly for the professions.

Pre-budget submission

The Australian College of Nursing’s (ACN) 2022-2023 Pre-Budget submission was focused on education and develop opportunities for nurses. It featured in 3 recommendations around workforce planning, the disability sector and aged care.
“There are over 400,000 nurses, making us the largest health workforce nationally and we deliver care across all health sectors, in primary care, mental health, aged care, community care and in hospitals,” ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN said.

“Despite being leaders in providing expert care to our most vulnerable, I constantly hear stories from my nursing colleagues across Australia sharing the limited access they have to education and development after graduation. Continued long-term investment supporting more members of our profession reach advanced levels of practice will ensure we can effectively address the complex and evolving needs of health consumers both now and into the future.

“In our pre-budget submission, ACN is seeking funding to create 150 scholarship places for nurses aged under 35 to participate in the Leading Excellence Through Advanced Practice Scholarship Program. Participants will explore innovative and transformative leadership concepts based on our White Paper: ‘A New Horizon for Health Service: Optimising Advanced Practice Nursing’ which was launched with bipartisan political support in the halls of Federal Parliament in 2019.

“ACN is also asking for the investment in providing 5,000 scholarship places for nurses in aged care to obtain a graduate certificate as well as establishing two units of study for nurses who want to work in the disability sector. These three initiatives will result in Australia’s most vulnerable and underserviced populations receiving the benefits of expert care from a highly qualified nurse.

“We have put the people we care for above our own professional and personal needs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, knowing the community deserves the highest levels of care and emotional support. It is time all politicians and political parties recognise the vital need to continue to invest in nurses, because when we invest in nurses, we invest in healthy communities and healthy citizens.

Post-budget opinion

The Australian College of Nursing welcomed funding for developing and enhancing nurse leadership skills in the federal budget.

The budget contained a $1 million matching co-contribution to ACN for the establishment of 21 scholarships focusing on supporting nurses seeking to further their professional development in leadership.

“I welcome the Government’s recognition that an investment in nurse leadership is an investment in shaping the health of all Australians,” ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN said.

“Recipients will be known as the Bullwinkel Scholars in honour of the bravery and courage shown by the 21 Australian nurses who lost their lives in the Bangka Island Massacre 80 years ago. The funding will ensure their legacy lives on not only in the next generation of nurse leaders, but also in the collective memory of our nation.

“As a nurse myself, I understand the challenges my colleagues face when it comes to finding the time and money to invest in education. These scholarships will be pivotal in providing nurses with the financial support and time to upskill their leadership capabilities to ensure our profession continues to lead the way in providing expert care to those who need it most.”

Adjunct Professor Ward also outlined ACN’s support for a number of other measures in the budget including those targeted at education and women.

“I acknowledge the Government’s recognition of the success of the Aged Care Transition to Practice program, of which ACN is one of the main providers, in the Budget,” she said.

We are also looking forward to seeing the rollout of the proposed investment into the training of Registered Nurses in residential aged care facilities to become Authorised Nurse Immunisers and welcome the additional funding for the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme which ACN has proudly administered for the last 20 years.”

“As a predominately female profession, we support the strong focus on eliminating gender-based violence and funding of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. ACN and I will continue to strongly advocate to eradicate all forms of violence through the work of our Nurses and Violence Taskforce.”

However, Adjunct Professor Ward pointed toward the failure of the Government to invest in advanced practice nurses as a key failing of the Budget.

“I am disappointed to once again see advanced practice nurses neglected from the decision-making table,” she said.

“As ACN outlined in our pre-budget submission, this group of highly educated professionals are crucial to addressing the complex health needs of our most underserviced populations, including those living in rural and remote areas. However, the refusal of Governments to increase their numbers and scope of practice sadly means many barriers to equitable health care remain in place.”
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) expressed disappointment following the federal budget, stating that “despite modest funding for some preventative health initiatives and increased paid parental leave (PPL) provisions, the Budget has failed to deliver much-needed and genuine long-term reforms in health and private aged care.”

ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said “the Government cannot ignore the plight of nursing home residents, nurses and care workers, by failing to implement the Royal Commission’s key recommendations – safe minimum staffing levels, increased wages for aged care workers and genuine accountability for taxpayers’ money.

“We ask Mr Morrison, how many preventable deaths do there need to be and how many dedicated nurses or aged care workers need to be driven from their jobs before he finally fixes chronic staffing shortages, causing so much pain and suffering in the country’s nursing homes?”

Pre-federal election

In the lead up to the May 2022 federal election, The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) said that Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese’s pledge to mandate staffing ratios by introducing, in law, minimum care hours requirements for nursing homes and to fund real wage increases for all aged care workers, could finally bring hope to exhausted nurses and care workers in the troubled aged care sector.

In March 2022. A delegation of 10 ANMF aged care members watching-on in Federal Parliament as Mr Albanese announced that, if elected, the ALP would implement the critical recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, including mandated standards for nutrition in nursing homes.

According to the ANMF, measures the Opposition said it would implement if elected included:

• 24 hour registered nurse care in every nursing home
• A mandated minimum 215 minutes of care per resident per day
• Funding real wage increases for aged care workers
• Ensuring accountability across the sector

“After years of inaction, we may finally have a plan to fix the core problems underlining the crisis in aged care,” ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler, said.
“We have known what the real problems in aged care are for years, but despite dozens of reports, inquiries, investigations and even a Royal Commission all saying the same thing, no one as been prepared to address these core problems. Tonight, we have just heard promise of a Government that, if elected, might actually take the genuine action needed.

“The Morrison Government was given a road map for reform more than a year ago by its own Royal Commission but failed to act on the Commission’s critical recommendations. Instead of overseeing desperately needed improvements, in the year that has elapsed, the Government has overseen a deepening crisis across the sector.

The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) also urged politicians to prioritize the issues impacting the nursing profession in the lead up to the federal election.
“For the last two years, nurses have led Australians through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN said.

“I constantly hear stories from my colleagues sharing the exhausting toll of COVID-19 on their physical and mental health as they care for the sick and vulnerable as well as the need to better invest the health care dollar to optimise Australia’s largest and most geographically accessible workforce. This Federal Election, all political parties must place long term and tangible solutions to address the crisis facing the nursing workforce.

“Registered nurses are central to leading reform in our health and aged care systems and improving the health of all Australians, particularly our most vulnerable. However, there needs to be investments on multiple fronts to ensure our workforce is sustainable and optimally utilised for generations to come.”

Adjunct Professor Ward pointed to the need for election commitments to focus on ensuring registered nurses with specific training in aged care are available on-site 24/7 in aged care facilities, addressing the unacceptable levels of occupational violence the profession experiences and allowing advanced practice nurses to work to their full scope.

“ACN is a bi-partisan and for-purpose organisation that exists to support the views and expertise of the more than 400,000 nurses we represent nationally,” she said.

“The solutions we have consistently advocated for to address the workforce crisis are directly informed by the lived experiences of nurses on all frontline settings of care delivery including aged care, mental health, primary care, hospitals and emergency departments. During the campaign, I urge political leaders to listen to the concerns of Australia’s largest health profession, as the health of our nation will suffer without nurses.”

Post-federal election

Both the ANMF and ACN congratulated Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor party on the federal election victory.

“We are delighted that we finally have a Federal Government that has a real plan to fix the systemic issues in health and aged care,” ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler, said today.

“Mr Albanese and his team, including Mark Butler and Clare O’Neil, have already listened to the ANMF and have committed to working with us to develop a health workforce which is ready and able to respond to Australia’s health needs.

“In aged care, the ALP has committed to funding legislating mandated staffing ratios in private aged care facilities, improving wages for the depleted workforce and making sure taxpayer-funds for providers are tied to direct care for residents.

“On behalf of our members across the country, the ANMF congratulates Mr Albanese and his team on winning government and we look forward to working with them in developing and delivering real solutions which can ensure fair and equitable outcomes in health and aged care for all Australians.”

ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN said “I congratulate the ALP on their election victory and look forward to working with new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Health Minister Mark Butler.

“Throughout the election campaign, all sides of politics acknowledged the importance of investing in a sustainable nursing workforce to ensure all Australians receive expert nursing care for generations to come. The next few months provide a unique opportunity for those promises to be backed up with tangible action.”

Adjunct Professor Ward highlighted a multi-pronged approach is required to address workforce shortages and ensuring the new Government’s pledge to have Registered Nurses 24/7 in residential aged care facilities is met.

“As I said at the time, I welcome the ALP’s positive intent to support the health of our vulnerable elderly population by ensuring they have access to highly-trained nurses,” she said.

“However, action is required on multiple fronts to ensure Australia’s largest health profession continues to shape the health of all Australians for generations to come. The solutions ACN advocates for are based on the experience and expertise of our Members and nurses we represent nationally.”

“They include improving access to transition pathways after graduation, visas for internationally trained nurses, greater health and wellbeing support, refresher courses for enrolled and registered nurses and ensuring nurses can access MBS item numbers. I re-iterate my calls for the incoming government to hold a national summit to develop an action plan to ensure these solutions are implemented.”
“I would also like to thank outgoing Prime Minister Scott Morrison and retiring Health Minister Greg Hunt for all they have done to support the nursing profession during their time in office.”

The ACN also welcomed strong results for the Australian Greens and independent candidates following the federal election.

“I congratulate the Australian Greens and independents on substantially increasing their representation in Parliament. ACN is a non-partisan membership-based peak body and we stand willing to work with politicians from across the political divide to ensure the issues impacting the nursing profession are urgently addressed,” ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN said.

“During my time as CEO, we have had a strong relationship with the Greens under the leadership of Adam Bandt and his predecessor Richard Di Natale. This has also extended to a state level where we are grateful for The NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann’s support for tax-free COVID-19 payments for nurses.”

“We have also worked very productively with the independents, including former nurse Dr Helen Haines who is a member of our Parliamentary Friends of Nursing group. We look forward to expanding this to include those newly elected to Parliament.”

“I urge both the Greens and independents to use their increased powers to ensure the Government take tangible action to address the nursing workforce crisis. Investments are required on multiple fronts to ensure the issues impacting Australia’s largest health profession are addressed, allowing us to continue shaping the health of all Australians for generations to come.”

“The solutions ACN advocates for are based directly off the experience and expertise of our Members and nurses we represent nationally. They include improving access to transition pathways after graduation, visas for internationally trained nurses, greater health and wellbeing support, refresher courses for enrolled and registered nurses and ensuring access to MBS item numbers.”

“Nursing must be at the top of the Green’s and independent’s priorities as we know that when we invest in nursing, we invest in healthy communities.”

The ACN also welcomed the Ministers in the Federal Government following the appointment of the Hon Mark Butler MP as the Minister for Health and Aged Care, and the Hon Ged Kearney MP as the new Assistant Minister.

The ACN also extended best wishes to the Hon Anika Wells MP, as the Minister for Aged Care; the Hon Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Rural and Regional Health; and Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health.

“I am very pleased to congratulate Mark Butler, and likewise Ged Kearney – who as a former nurse and co-convenor of the Parliamentary Friends of Nursing will bring a unique and exciting perspective to her portfolio,” ACN acting CEO Yvonne McKinlay FACN, said.

“Mr Butler and Ms Kearney are long-standing friends of ACN, and we have deeply valued their ongoing support for Australia’s nurses.

“Both took time to speak at the ACN Policy Summit held in March and shared with our membership their commitment to working with us in the event of a Labor victory.”

“I look forward to working with Mr Butler and his team to progress these much-needed initiatives over the next three years. Now is the time to champion bold reform, and ACN and our membership are ready to play our part.

“I would also like to take a final opportunity to acknowledge the willingness of the previous government to engage with ACN. I remain grateful that our organisation continues to enjoy such bipartisan support for its work,” Ms McKinlay concluded.