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Nurses blast PM over aged care, demand staffing certainty

The powerful Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union is running ads to remind Australians that the buck stops with the Prime Minister.

Sep 23, 2020, updated Sep 23, 2020
The Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union ad will run on TV and online.

The Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union ad will run on TV and online.

QNMU Secretary Beth Mohle said private aged care was in crisis, with providers cutting nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and exposing residents to even greater risk. That has prompted the union to run an ad campaign to gather public support.

“These cuts occurred at a time when private providers were receiving more than $200 million from the federal government to safely staff their facilities and protect vulnerable elderly residents,’’ Mohle said.

“These cuts could mean the difference between life and death, yet the Prime Minister and federal government have refused to take any action. This must change.’’

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The QNMU reported the cuts to the federal government and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission as a matter of high urgency on July 1. Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck responded 48 days later on August 18 but apparently nothing changed

The QNMU is now rallying Australians to click a link on its website to send Morrison and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese a letter demanding an end to staff cuts and tighter government regulation.

The QNMU has repeatedly called for safe staffing laws to be introduced in private aged care, including 55 submissions to inquiries since 2009. The union also wants greater transparency over aged care provider financing and budgeting.

The campaign also calls for staff to be given funded, mandated training on infection control and access to Personal Protective Equipment as a matter of course.

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