Aged care nurses, advocates and family members of residents rallied outside Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s electorate office in Cronulla to demand the federal government fund mandated staff ratios in the upcoming Federal Budget.
Members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) have been campaigning for staffing ratios and greater transparency of government funding linked to care for years.
GetUp supporters joined nurses to send a strong message that the community demands real solutions to the ongoing crisis in the aged care sector.
NSWNMA Councillor and Aged Care nurse Jocelyn Hofman spoke to the rally about the need for aged care residents to be “treated with care and respect”.
“This interim report from the Royal Commission was submitted to our Prime Minister 18 months ago and the final report in March. While we wait, 68 per cent of our residents are at risk of malnutrition because of chronic understaffing. While we wait, some facilities do not employ a registered nurse 24/7,” Ms Hofman said.
“Is it too much to ask of our Prime Minister to have mandated ratios and skills mix so we can deliver high quality care?”
GetUp human rights campaigner Tessa Pang echoed Ms Hofman’s calls, calling on the Prime Minister to “enshrine every Australians’ right to decent care”.
“Morrison needs to commit to fixing the staffing crisis by empowering aged care workers through proper training, proper workplace protections and proper staffing levels. He also needs to hold private providers accountable by enforcing transparency over how money is spent.”
Campaigners also presented the Prime Minister’s office with a petition containing over 50,000 signatures after the rally.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association is continuing its campaign for safe staffing and funding transparency in the aged care sector. To support this campaign, visit our campaign website here.