A new future for aged care
After years of inaction, the future of aged care looks bright. Through strong campaigning, NSWNMA members won commitments to mandated minimum staffing levels for the aged care sector, ensuring key recommendations of the Royal Commission will be enacted.
NSWNMA members have been campaigning to fix the crisis in aged care for many years, and it is because of their tireless advocacy we now have a federal government committed to improving the working conditions and pay of aged care nurses, and ensuring older Australians can age with dignity and respect in residential aged care.
NSWNMA members will continue campaigning to ensure all these historic reforms are implemented so we can create a better aged sector for all aged care staff, residents and their families who deserve the best care.
Join your Union and make sure your rights and conditions are protected.
Jocelyn Hofman, Registered Nurse in aged care
“I’m beyond words because I know just how much of a difference having all of these promises will make to aged care workers, our residents and our communities. We have been fighting hard for this to come to fruition and I’m excited to have some renewed hope.”
Linda Hardman, Assistant in Nursing in aged care
“Finally, we’ve got our hope back because someone has actually listened and mapped out a way to restore the dignity and respect aged care really deserves. We give our best to our jobs and the residents in our care, but the sector has been ignored for too long. Having staffing ratios would make an enormous difference and we’re stoked it’s now a possibility.”
Key reforms won by NSWNMA members:
A registered nurse to be on duty 24 hours a day in all aged care facilities by 2023
Federal government support for the NSWNMA and ANMF’s Fair work Commission application for a 25% pay rise for aged care nurses
Introduction of a minimum of 215 minutes of care per day to be provided to residents, with 44 minutes of this care to be provided by a registered nurse
Better food quality standards for aged care residents
How staffing in your facility will be improved
Once legislated, all aged care facilities will be required to provide a minimum 215 care minutes per resident per day with 44 minutes provided by registered nurses.
Each facility will determine how to roster the 215 minutes of care per resident. This provision will become the legal minimum of care minutes in aged care facilities and does not prevent aged care providers from rostering above the minimum.
Find out what the staffing arrangements could look like at your workplace under the planned minimum staffing levels.
Join the NSWNMA today for a safer workplace
NSWNMA members work together to enforce your rights at work and ensure minimum staffing levels are maintained when these come into effect. Join now to access all the benefits of membership and so we can make our future stronger together.
