By Abbey Cannan
Noosa’s not-for-profit aged care providers are disappointed by the recently announced 2022-23 Federal Budget’s failure to address the workforce crisis that is gripping the sector.
Peak advisory body Catholic Health Australia said the failure to address workforce remuneration is a bitter blow to the sector and its workforce which is struggling with fatigue, spiralling living costs, low morale, and a growing shortage of carers and nurses.
The $49.5 million aged care training places and clinical placements for nurses in the Budget is, at best, a Band Aid, and underscores a tin ear to the risk that workforce pressures pose for the quality and safety of aged care services.
CHA chief executive officer Pat Garcia said, “Additional training places are all very well, but the sector is struggling to attract and retain aged care workers because they are simply not paid enough for the essential and demanding caring role they perform for the Australian community.”
NoosaCare chief executive officer Megan D’Elton agreed, saying she was disheartened by the Budget.
“It’s an insult to be honest,” she said.
“Not one ounce of that budget is addressing the staff shortages that are happening now. Not one cent of that budget is addressing the low wages that our sector is facing.”
Ms D’Elton said the slow response by the government was putting more pressure on her staff.
“They are leaving this industry because they don’t believe that the government is going to be there to help them,” she said.
“All they see is increased legislation; ‘Get a booster, get the flu vaccine, get ready for accreditation, you need to meet this compliance, you need to be delivering quality care and services’.
“With the pressure that they are putting on our industry at present, the bubble is going to explode.
“Staff are burnt out, they are doing double shifts to help with the shortages. I’m so grateful for our staff that are working so hard to keep delivering quality care to our residents.”
Ms D’Elton said both sides of the Federal Government need to put their money where their mouth is.
“The government has a workforce plan for the next three years. That’s great, but what needs to happen is now, not in three years’ time,” she said.
“They are allocating 15,000 additional aged care training places for new and existing personal care workers. Well, if we can’t get staff now, where are these 15,000 people coming from?
“They’re not going to get trained and then find out that they’re still on a minimum wage. I’m disillusioned. Talk is cheap.”
