Media Statement - 5th December 2008
The Rudd
Government is expanding its Bringing Nurses Back into the Workforce
Program to include community settings, community-based aged care and
day surgery hospitals.
The aim is to support some of the 30,000 qualified nurses currently not working as nurses to return to the workforce.
Cash bonuses of up to $6,000 will be available to nurses and midwives who return to work in eligible hospitals, community health settings and aged care homes participating in the program.
In addition, the employers of eligible nurses will now receive a full $1,000 payment to help re-train and re-skill each nurse - whether they are full time or part time.
These changes follow feedback from stakeholders, and build on our commitment to invest in primary care. Nurses are the backbone of our health system.
That’s why the Government has committed $39.4 million over five years to provide cash bonus payments for 7,750 extra nurses and midwives to return to nursing in public and private hospitals and 1,000 nurses in residential aged care homes.
Community nursing is an integral component of the health care system, and building capacity in this sector is consistent with the Government's commitment to develop a national primary health care strategy and place a greater emphasis on preventative health.
Community-based nurses work across areas including palliative care, mental health, school based services, maternal and child health and home visiting services.
Nurses also work in the aged community sector coordinating and providing packages of care to older people with complex care needs through services such as Extended Aged Care in the Home.
This builds on the Australian Government’s $1.1 billion investment in Australia’s health workforce that was announced through COAG on Saturday.
This includes subsidies for providing clinical training for nursing undergraduates as well as funding to help train approximately 18,000 nurse supervisors.
The Government has also committed to funding an additional 1,094 university nursing places each year from 2009.