The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation expressed its support to the recommendations of Senior Counsel Peter Rozen to the Aged Care Royal Commission. Primarily, the recommendations focused on the aspect of mandated minimum staffing and their respective skills within the system. This includes the requirement of having a registered nurse on duty.
Mr. Rozen’s recommendations that were submitted to the Royal Commissioners table focused on the following:
· Provider of aged care in residential levels should comply with mandatory staffing requirements;
· The greater proportion of the workforce in aged care should be sufficed by registered and nurse practitioners;
· Better training should be given to all aged care workers
· The registration process should be required to every unregulated care workers
· Safe workplaces should be ensured for every care workforce
· Organisations should effectively manage and govern their respective workforce, and
· The Australian government should give leadership
ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler affirmed the acceptance of the Federation on the recommendations of Mr. Rozen. She added that ANMF recognise the struggles of the aged care workforce that made them decide that the recommendations should be supported.
Considering the possible impact of the recommendations to the system in general, this ensures a greater quality of care to be provided for every patient.
Also, it could even foster the trend of the aged care workforce due to the assurance it gives in providing a better, more competitive and regulated training to the workforce.
It is the commitment of the ANMF to continue the support to the proceedings of the commission regarding the recommendations.