The ‘Because We Care’ national aged care campaign
The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has detailed its ‘Because We Care’ public awareness campaign. It will feature calls for more aged care nursing staff with the right mix of nursing skills and increased Federal Government funding.
ANF national secretary, Ged Kearney, said the Because We Care campaign is aimed at raising the awareness and recognition level of Australia’s highly skilled and dedicated aged care nursing and care workforce, focusing on:
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 personal care for each resident.
Ms Kearney said the campaign would “target” all Federal MPs, Senators and Ministers, with supporters around Australia urged to send an on-line message to the Minister for Ageing Justine Elliott – calling on the Federal Government to properly fund aged care.
The Because We Care Campaign will involve the ANF’s state and territory branches with the support of over 170,000 nursing members around Australia. Through the campaign the ANF will also call on the support of key stakeholders across the industry, including union members and non-unionised nursing staff, the operators of aged care, residents and families, individual facilities and the wider community.
Tens of thousands of ‘Charters for Quality Aged Care’ will be distributed to workers, residents and families at aged care facilities across Australia, to ask them to support the Because We Care objectives.
A DVD, featuring real life aged care workers and residents talking about “the industry they love and the funding they need”, will also be shown in hundreds of facilities around Australia.
For further information, to view the DVD or to send an online message to the Minister, visit the website at www.becausewecare.org.au
