Page 171 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 8 December 2004
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way between ACT Health, Disability ACT and the CIT for the establishment of a certificate IV course to start in the second semester of next year. Of course, recruitment remains a key issue in addressing our work force shortages.
We have finalised a labour agreement with the Australian government to streamline the process for recruiting overseas trained health professionals. This is a short-term but important strategy to address any work force shortages until other strategies mature, such as growing additional health care professionals within the ACT. Members will see from this approach that the government has a comprehensive strategy in place to address work force shortages which will be so critical in future years in our health sector.
Another goal for the government is to move the health professional boards under the new Health Professionals Bill 2004. Work is under way to develop the schedules for each health profession to be regulated by the new act. The health professional standards project has been completed and will be publicised widely.
It is important to note that the ACT does not provide undergraduate education for most allied health professionals. These people are educated in other states, and hence it is a major effort to attract them to Canberra from their home states and retain their services.
In the nursing and midwifery work force, it is important to acknowledge that nurses and midwives are integral and pivotal to our health care team. Recruitment and retention are complex issues that present a significant challenge to governments and health care organisations locally, nationally and globally. Attracting and retaining highly skilled and experienced nurses and midwives is one of the Stanhope government’s key priorities. We are working collaboratively to adopt a whole-of-ACT approach to implementing a comprehensive range of strategies that support lifelong learning and education, nursing and multi-disciplinary research and supporting nurses and midwives who wish to return to the profession. The introduction of 21 new clinical development nurses will provide clinical support and will continue to develop a highly skilled, knowledgeable, articulate and confident nursing and midwifery work force.
The nursing and midwifery work force in ACT Health continues its upward trend, having increased each year for the past four years. As at June this year, there were 1,807 full-time equivalent nursing staff and midwives employed, increasing from 1,609 full time equivalents as at 30 June 2001. This represents an increase of 198 full-time equivalents or 12.3 per cent. The government has committed to investigating possible options to support staff with carer responsibilities and to research the impact of workload and workplace safety. These all contribute to a healthy work environment and to improving the quality of the work/life balance for staff.
In addition, certification of the proposed ACT public sector nursing staff agreement will see ACT nurses and midwives with some of the best conditions and being among the most highly paid in the country. For example, rates of pay for clinical nurses in the ACT are now comparable with or better than the rates paid in New South Wales. For enrolled nurses, new graduate registered nurses and more highly skilled specialist nurses, the rates of pay are exceptional. For more senior staff, the pay rise under the new agreement will exceed 20 per cent. Registered nurses level 1 who demonstrate high-level nursing skills
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