The plan outlines a roadmap for a sustainable nursing workforce.

Released in August by Health Minister Mark Butler, the strategy sets out a long-term vision to guide governments, employers, education providers and the profession in building a sustainable nursing workforce capable of meeting Australia’s future health needs.

The strategy aims to improve recruitment and retention, support nurses throughout their careers, strengthen leadership opportunities, and enable the profession to play a greater role in delivering innovative models of care.

The strategy acknowledges Australia’s health system is facing significant workforce pressures driven by an ageing population, growing rates of chronic disease, increasing demand for aged care, primary care and mental health services, persistent nursing shortages across metropolitan, rural and remote Australia, and increasing complexity of patient care.

“Investing in nursing ensures people receive cost effective and quality health care,” it states.

“This contributes to better health outcomes for the community and enables people to live full and productive lives. Investment in nursing is essential for optimising health outcomes and to generate broader societal and economic benefits.”

The strategy establishes four national priorities:

• enhancing workforce planning, education and regulation
• enabling nursing innovation
• elevating the nursing profession and
• delivering a sustainable nursing workforce.

The Strategy was developed through extensive consultation with chief nursing and midwifery officers, governments, professional organisations, unions, education providers, employers and other stakeholders.