The industrial and professional organisation for nurses and midwives in Australia
Canberra Office (Professional Services)
Unit 3, 28 Eyre Street Kingston ACT 2604
Australia
PO Box 4239 Kingston ACT 2604 Australia
+ 61 2 6232 6533 (T) + 61 2 6232 6610 (F)
anfcanberra@anf.org.au
Melbourne Office (Industrial Services)
Level 1, 365 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
+ 61 3 9602 8500 (T) + 61 3 9602 8567 (F)
industrial@anf.org.au
anfmelbourne@anf.org.au
ANF Journals
Australian Nursing Journal
Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing
anj@anf.org.au ajan@anf.org.au
ABN 41 816 898 298
media release
More beds without enough nurses doesn’t make sen$e
The future care of vulnerable elderly residents in nursing homes rests on an increase in
qualified staff - more people in beds without more nurses will equal chaos and misery.
Australian Nursing Federation Federal Secretary Ged Kearney said recent threats by aged
care providers who are demanding $500 million in Government funding to provide more
places for residents needs to be balanced against the need for more nurses and personal
carers.
“While we endorse a call for more beds the idea of increasing the number of residents without
tackling staff shortages is frightening,” she said.
“We trust that the Federal Government will address the current shortage of aged care nurses
as stipulated in the Because We Care campaign as a first priority towards improved quality of
care for senior Australians.”
“The ANF will submit its 2010 budget proposal next week. This will address the need to attract
more aged care nurses into the sector by ensuring they receive fair pay and conditions -
many are now earning up to $300 less than nurses in other sectors.”
“The right balance of skills and nursing hours is required to care for the 70 per cent of aged
care residents who are high-need.”
“It is vital that the public gets a guarantee that taxpayer funding provided to aged care providers
is transparent and used to improve wages and provide enough nursing and care staff for each
resident.”
Background
Australia today has some 2,800 residential aged care facilities providing care to more than
160,000 elderly people, 70 per cent of whom receive high-level care and 55 percent of whom
are 85 years of age or older.
The industrial and professional organisation for nurses and midwives in Australia
Canberra Office (Professional Services)
Unit 3, 28 Eyre Street Kingston ACT 2604
Australia
PO Box 4239 Kingston ACT 2604 Australia
+ 61 2 6232 6533 (T) + 61 2 6232 6610 (F)
anfcanberra@anf.org.au
Melbourne Office (Industrial Services)
Level 1, 365 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
+ 61 3 9602 8500 (T) + 61 3 9602 8567 (F)
industrial@anf.org.au
anfmelbourne@anf.org.au
ANF Journals
Australian Nursing Journal
Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing
anj@anf.org.au ajan@anf.org.au
ABN 41 816 898 298
By 2020 the number of residents is projected to reach more than 250,000 - a 56 percent
increase.
And the highest area of growth will be among residents aged 95 or over who will need the
highest level of care we can give them.
The high-care proportion of residential aged care is going to need to almost triple in the next
25
years to keep up with demand.
The Because We Care campaign is aimed at raising awareness and recognition of Australia's
highly skilled and dedicated aged care nursing and care workforce.
Throughout 2009 the ANF has been asking community members, nursing home staff, friends
and relatives of residents to sign the "Charter for Quality Aged Care".
The Charter calls on the Federal Government to properly fund aged care and support the
campaign's four key objectives;
1) The right balance of skills and nursing hours so that nursing and care staff can provide
quality care for every resident.
2) Fair pay for aged care nurses and care staff who are paid up to $300 per week less than
nurses in other sectors.
3) Recognition of the professional skills of Assistants in Nursing and care staff through a
national licensing system.
4) A guarantee that taxpayer funding is used for nursing and care staff for each resident.
Media inquiries:
Media inquiries
Eleni Hale, Media and Communications
(03) 9602 8522 / 0402337388
Ged Kearney, Federal Secretary
0417 053 322
Lee Thomas, Assistant Federal Secretary
0419 576 590
NEWS 
