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
Nurses missing out on rural incentives
13 October 2010
The Australian Nursing Federation is calling on the federal government to provide
incentives for nurses who move to regional, remote and very remote locations.
New data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare(AIHW) reveals that
nurses are providing the bulk of healthcare in regional and remote areas. Yet a gulf
exists in the level of support they are given compared to doctors who take up
employment in remote locations.
Some incentives are paid to nurses and midwives on a state by state basis but these
are grossly inadequate compared to doctors.
ANF federal secretary, Lee Thomas, said nurses supported incentives paid to
doctors because it improved access to regional and remote communities. “However
the inequality here is stark. While doctors receive up to $120,000 to move and as
much as $47,000 each year to remain, nurses and midwives are yet to be provided
with federal incentive packages in recognition of their willingness to work in regional
and remote communities.”
Rural Australians deserve the same healthcare options as everyone else and an
incentives program would boost numbers of nurses in those communities, she said.
“Why should someone in a regional or remote setting be forced to drive long
distances or wait for weeks to see a GP when they could potentially have access to a
highly experienced nurse or midwife?”
“We are calling on the federal government to support the nursing and midwifery
workforce that provides healthcare to such a wide range of remote communities and
to help boost access to healthcare by attracting more nurses.”
Media inquiries
Eleni Hale, Media
0458 892 999
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