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Vic Premier Daniel Andrews . Photo : David Crosling
Debt reduction
Free degrees for 10,000 nurses and midwives .
Nursing groups have welcomed Victoria ’ s proposal to pay off university debts for nursing and midwifery students but warn that a nationwide strategy is needed to tackle sector wide shortages and burnout .
The Victorian government recently announced it would spend $ 270 million to recruit and train thousands of new nurses and midwives .
Under the five-year program , new domestic students enrolling in a professional-entry nursing and midwifery course over the next two years would receive a scholarship to cover course costs .
Students will receive $ 9000 over the first three years of study and the remaining $ 7500 would be paid off if they work in the Victorian public health services for two years .
“ If you ’ re in Year 12 and you ’ ve been thinking about studying nursing or midwifery – go for it . We ’ ve got your HECS fees covered ,” Premier Daniel Andrews said .
During a recent health workforce roundtable nurses unions raised the idea of a one-off nationwide HECS waiver to abolish university debt for nurses working across all sectors .
Australian College of Nursing acting chief Yvonne Mckinlay said Victoria ’ s plan was a “ crucial ” first step but needed to be expanded into other states and territories .
“ A multi-faceted approach is needed to establish a sustainable nursing workforce that shapes the health of all Australians for generations to come ,” she said .
Following the announcement , NSW nurses urged the state government to follow in Victoria ’ s footsteps .
NSW Nurses and Midwives ’ Association general secretary Shaye Candish said thousands of NSW nurses were flocking to other states , including Victoria and Queensland , in search of better working conditions and nurse-to-patient ratios .
“ The Victorian government ’ s announcement is exactly the type of forward-thinking we have been championing in NSW to address some of the workforce concerns we can already see coming down the line here ,” she said . ■
COVID fail
Report highlights failures in aged care vaccine rollout .
Aged care staff and residents were left waiting for COVID-19 vaccines last year due to a profound lack of planning by the federal government , a new report has shown .
An analysis by the auditor-general found the health department failed to hit critical vaccine targets for high-risk populations in 2021 because it underestimated “ the complexity of administering in-reach
2 | nursingreview . com . au
ADF members working in a Frankston aged care home in February 2022 . Photo : Supplied
services to the aged care and disability sectors ”.
All aged care residents and staff were meant to be vaccinated during the first phase of the government ’ s vaccine rollout in February 2021 .
It wasn ’ t until June 2021 that second dose vaccine clinics for aged care residents were completed .
By July , federal health department figures showed only a third of aged care workers had been fully vaccinated .
NDIS residential disability residents did not reach 80 per cent double vaccinated until 9 November 2021 .
Poor uptake of the vaccine in aged care and the disability sectors was driven by a lack of consultation and engagement with providers , the report said .
By the end of 2021 , there were a total of 918 deaths in aged care facilities across Australia .
Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler said the findings laid bare a “ multitude of failures ” on behalf of the former government .
“ The report found there was a lack of targets and , when there were targets , the rollout completely missed their deadlines , especially for priority populations ,” he said .
“ The weekly program management report provided to the former Minister for Health and Prime Minister also included the key risks to the rollout for the week and the status of key program milestones .
“ As far back as 10 March 2021 the report identified the slow rollout to residential aged care facilities as a key risk and in reach to residential disability settings was ‘ at risk ’.”
The Health Department has agreed to all of the recommendations put forward by the auditor-general , including a “ comprehensive ” review of the nation ’ s vaccine rollout due by the end of December . ■