Canberra Office
Unit 3, 28 Eyre Street Kingston ACT 2604 Australia
PO Box 4239 Kingston ACT 2604 Australia
(T) + 61 2 6232 6533 (F) + 61 2 6232 6610
anfcanberra@anf.org.au
Melbourne Office
Level 1, 365 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
(T ) + 61 3 9602 8500 (F) + 61 3 9602 8567
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
NEWS, NURSING, AGED CARE, POLITICS
Tuesday May 12
Patients and the community are the big winners in ground
breaking health reform budget – Australian Nursing Federation
Australians will be healthier and have greater access to equitable, quality health care because
of changes announced in the Federal Budget, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) said
today.
“Allowing rebates for prescriptions, referrals and diagnostic tests ordered by nurse practitioners
and midwives across Australia will break down the barriers that prevent Australians accessing
equitable health care,” ANF federal secretary Ged Kearney said. “This initiative will keep people
well, in the community and ultimately reduce pressure on public hospitals.”
“These changes will boost frontline healthcare across the community and make sure that those
people who receive health care from nurse practitioners and midwives can do so without facing
huge out of pocket expenses.”
The ANF applauded these and other Budget initiatives saying that the Minister for Health, Nicola
Roxon had consistently shown that she understands the true value of nursing care and the
advanced skills of highly qualified nurses and midwives.
“This represents a new era of health care and is a landmark reform of our health and hospital
system,” Ms Kearney said.
Under the reforms outlined by Minister for Health Nicola Roxon:
1.
Medicines prescribed by nurse practitioners and eligible midwives will come under the
Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule;
2.
Diagnostics tests and referrals ordered by nurse practitioners and eligible midwives will
attract rebates under the Medical Benefits Scheme; and
3.
There will be a Government supported professional indemnity insurance scheme for
eligible midwives.
Aged Care
While we recognise that there is still a lot to be done for aged care and particularly those nurses
and carers working in aged care, we can see a commitment to reform that is encouraging and
we will continue to pursue the objectives of our ‘Because We Care’ campaign, calling for major
reform in the sector.
Canberra Office
Unit 3, 28 Eyre Street Kingston ACT 2604 Australia
PO Box 4239 Kingston ACT 2604 Australia
(T) + 61 2 6232 6533 (F) + 61 2 6232 6610
anfcanberra@anf.org.au
Melbourne Office
Level 1, 365 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
(T ) + 61 3 9602 8500 (F) + 61 3 9602 8567
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
Ms Kearney said the ANF’s current national Because We Care campaign is calling for:
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.
“We are in desperate need of nursing staff with the right mix of nursing skills in aged care,” Ms
Kearney explained.
“The ANF looks forward to working with the Federal Government for increased funding and
reform for the aged care sector in the future,” Ms Kearney said.
Media inquiries:
Ged Kearney, ANF Federal Secretary
0417 053 322
Lee Thomas, ANF Assistant Federal Secretary
0419 576 590
Libby Muir, ANF Communications Officer
0413 834 979
The ANF, with 170,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses and midwives in Australia.
NEWS 
