Ncah issue 16 2013

Issue 16 12/08/13 fortnightly

Mental Health Feature SA nurses and midwives lead nation $10,000 in scholarships for agency nurses How dietitians can nourish our mental health Allied health, nursing and midwifery fees unveiled

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NURSE UNIT MANAGER Are you an experienced Registered Nurse looking for a new challenge in a progressive rural health service?

This role as Nurse Unit Manager (Penshurst Campus) offers the successful applicant the opportunity to work in a progressive and stimulating aged care environment at Western District Health Service. This position requires strong leadership skills and a focus on clinical outcomes. The successful candidate for this role will need to have advanced clinical skills, demonstrate effective and professional nursing practices in planning, implementing and monitoring effective nursing practice.

Reporting to the Director of Nursing, you will be accountable for the day-to-day management of Penshurst.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate and possess: 1. Current registration with the Nursing Board of Australia.

2. Although previous experience in aged care and management is desirable this is an ideal opportunity for the suitable candidate to develop these skills in a fully supported and mentored environment.

3. The ability to co-ordinate and promote the organisations quality improvement program within Penshurst.

If you are looking to make a fresh start to your career or would like to register your interest in future job opportunities go to

www.ahnr.com.au

W: www.ahnr.com.au E: ahnr@ahnr.com.au T: 1300 981 509 www.ncah.com.au

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Delivering tailored healthcare solutions

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 3

www.ncah.com.au Issue 16 – 12 August 2013 We hope you enjoy perusing the range of opportunities included in Issue 16, 2013.

If you are interested in pursuing any of these opportunities, please contact the advertiser directly via the contact details provided. If you have any queries about our publication or if you would like to receive our publication, please email us at careers@ncah.com.au

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DISTRIBUTION 34,488

The NCAH Magazine is the most widely distributed national nursing and allied health publication in Australia For all advertising and production enquiries please contact us on +61 (0) 3 9271 8700, email careers@ncah.com.au or visit www.ncah.com.au If you would like to change your mailing address, or be included on our distribution, please email careers@ncah.com.au

Published by Seabreeze Communications Pty Ltd Trading as NCAH. ABN 29 071 328 053. © 2013 Seabreeze Communications Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. Compliance with the Trade Practices Act 1974 of advertisements contained in this publication is the responsibility of those who submit the advertisement for publication.

Advertiser List AHN Recruitment Ausmed Australian College of Nursing CCM Recruitment CPD Education Cruises CQ Nurse CRANAplus Delmont Private Hospital eNurse Kate Cowhig Koala Nursing Agency Lifescreen No Roads to Health NSW Health Northern Sydney LHD Oceania University of Medicine Oxford Aunts Care Quick and Easy Finance Royal Flying Doctor Service Rural Health West Sunshine Psychology Total Aged Services TR7 Health UK Pension Transfers Unified Healthcare Group University of Technology Sydney

Next Publication: Working Abroad Publication Date: Monday 26th August 2013 Colour Artwork Deadline: Monday 19th August 2013 Mono Artwork Deadline: Wednesday 21st August 2013

Page 4 | www.ncah.com.au

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RFDS staff enjoy enriching work which broadens their horizons, builds professional experience and delivers the personal rewards of knowing they are making a difference to rural and remote Australia.

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For futher information: Paul Ingram (08) 94176300 nursing@rfdswa.com.au flyingdoctor.org.au Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 5

from the cradle to the grave

| challenges facing remote service provision across the life span continuum

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Our 31st Conference offers a participative program designed for health care professionals to explore the challenges faced in delivering safe, quality health care programs to remote Australians and to stimulate discussion and ideas for solutions that are accessible and appropriate.

“From the cradle to the grave”, the title of this year’s conference, is a good reminder to all of us of our responsibilities to provide the best care possible to our patients - from the moment of birth to the final breath.

The first full day of the conference kicks into life with three fantastic keynote speakers who hardly need introduction: Dr Phillip Nitschke, Director of EXIT International; Dr Yvonne Luxford, CEO of Palliative Care Australia; and Dr Peter Saul, former Head of Discipline for Medical Ethics at Newcastle University. This stimulating start will set us up for the rest of the conference, with papers on topics ranging from music participation and mental health to the role of the media in the portrayal of domestic and family violence in the Northern Territory.

You have the chance to network at the tradeshow, catch up with remote health colleagues working throughout Australia, and recognise excellence at the awards presentations during the opening ceremony and the closing dinner.

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONS CLOSE AUGUST 12th.

For more details go to: www.crana.org.au Page 6 | www.ncah.com.au

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 9

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Nurses for Nurses Network 2013 Annual Conference South Pacific Cruise Oct 12th – 19th 2013 Psychotropic Drugs: are they the panacea in contemporary society Fiji & South Pacific Cruise Nov 16th – 24th 2013 Midwives on Board! Contemporary Issues In Maternity Care Fiji & South Pacific Cruise Feb 1st – 11th 2014 Nurses for Nurses Network 2014 Annual Conference Greek Island Cruise Sept 20th – 27th 2014 Cardiology Care in the 21st Century South Pacific Cruise Oct 26th – 3rd Nov 2014 For bookings contact Byron Cruise and Travel on 02 6685 6733 Mon-Fri 9am – 5pm, Sat 9am-12pm or email info@cpdcruises.com.au. For information on education, tax benefits, conference inclusions and CPD points – call 0425301008 or email info@cpdcruises.com.au

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Mental Health Nursing Opportunities Are you an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse interested in a career in Mental Health Nursing?

Northern Beaches Mental Health Service is part of Northern Sydney Local Health District, which has a range of exciting Mental Health nursing opportunities for Endorsed Enrolled Nurses across a number of our Clinical Services and Teams.

These include Acute Inpatient Units at East Wing and Psychiatric Emergency Care Centres (PECC) located at Manly Hospital.

As part of your position with the Northern Sydney Local Health District we can offer: • Amazing views of the harbour and a world renowned local beach/café culture • Flexible work options • Salary packaging • Education support and professional development opportunities • Short term accommodation (subject to availability) • Support for ENs wishing to transition to Registered Nurse program

Full time, part time and casual positions are available so what are you waiting for?

If you are interested in a mental health nursing career path we look forward to hearing from you To find out more contact us today!

Email Elizabeth Hevesi-Nagy on EHevesi@nsccahs.health.nsw.gov.au or call Nerida Edwards on 0407 725 912

What I like about OUM is that I can continue to work part time and continue my studies in medicine.

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Page 12 | www.ncah.com.au

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 13

$10,000 in scholarships for agency nurses

by Karen Keast Ten thousand dollars in scholarships will be allocated to agency nurses and midwives for continuing professional development in the next few months.

Registered nurses, midwives and enrolled nurses from across Australia have applied to be among the first recipients of the ME Bank Agency Nurses Scholarship, an initiative of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) with ME Bank and the Association of Nursing Recruitment Agencies’ (ANRA).

The new national scholarship program was designed to help agency nurses meet the costs of attending conferences, undertaking short courses or workshops and completing online education.

ANMF federal education officer Jodie Davis said the initiative attracted a strong field of applicants, with 18 eligible applications received from agency nurses and midwives looking to further their CPD. “We were very happy with the response,” she said.

“They were all pretty strong, ranging from conferences worth around $3000 to people doing things in palliative care and breast cancer research.

“We had applications from right across Australia, including rural and remote.”

Ms Davis said the scholarship initiative helped agency nurses and also ANRA member agencies who often assist their nurses with the costs of accessing CPD. “Agencies are really struggling at the moment with changes to the health system under the different state governments,” she said.

For the full article visit NCAH.com.au Page 14 | www.ncah.com.au

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 15

Retreats for Health Professionals

Come to Noosa to rejuvenate yourself and earn PD this October Do you need to Recharge yourself? Do you want to feel vital and engaged in your life and your role as a clinician?

Are you noticing signs of Burn out?

Dr Alanda Thompson and Dr Samantha Clarke are specialists in helping health professionals care for themselves.

Practice skills in Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy whilst enjoying a range of mindful activities such as yoga, surfing and stand-up paddle boarding.

This retreat aims to provide participants with a restorative experience as well as long-term resilience skills that will promote a genuine engagement with the clinician role and in your life outside of work.

Gain 20 hours CPD and enjoy 5-star luxury Dates of upcoming retreats: NEXT RETREAT : Noosa 11th til 16th October 2013 Nusa Lembongan June 2014 – 20-16th June 2014 Specialised retreats for specific professions and for organizations are also available. Contact us for further details.

“I found both the material presented and the practical exercises well researched, insightful and enriching. Sam and Alanda were unfailingly professional and enthusiastic, with a sincere passion for passing on their expertise with mindfulness to others.”- Dr Annette Watson-Luke, Clinical Psychologist Visit www.sunshinepsychology.com.au for details or email healthandwellbeingretreats@gmail.com or you can call Dr Samantha Clarke on 0408814715 - Contact today for your complimentary massage.

Self-Care with Mindfulness Skills Proves to be the Tonic for Health Professionals ...and what better place to recharge the batteries than Noosa Heads?

The passion that health professionals feel for their work is often unfortunately mirrored by a depletion of energy and life force left for the self. This was noticed almost immediately at a recent retreat for health professionals that aimed to reduce burnout, improve vitality and enhance Mindfulness skills in doctors, nurses, psychologists, and other health professionals.

Dr Alanda Thompson and Dr Samantha Clarke are Clinical Psychologists who ran the retreat on a small island off Bali. Dr Thompson noted that she felt ‘really moved by the obvious vocation that health care was for the professionals present’ and yet her concerns were that a culture of caring did not include the carers Page 16 | www.ncah.com.au

themselves under our current system. As a result it was a shame to see so many people who were suffering as a result of their work.

Health professionals are generally excellent at taking care of other people. Much time, effort and professional development is rightly directed into this avenue. And this was certainly discussed by the 20 professionals at the retreat. And yet, for most nurses, doctors, psychologists, physiotherapists and other carers, the primary tool used in our work is ourselves. This is why performing from a place of vitality and health is so crucial. At the same time, it can feel almost impossible to achieve. acceptable? Taking care of the self is vital for our patients and for our personal lives.

For the full article visit NCAH.com.au

REGISTERED NURSES – MENTAL HEALTH Delmont Private Hospital is an accredited 88 bed private psychiatric facility with extensive Inpatient Units specialising in General and Aged Psychiatry and Drug and Alcohol Management.

We are seeking a suitably qualified and experienced Registered Nurse (full time) and Nurses to join our casual Nurse Bank.

MUST HAVE EXPERTISE IN GENERAL ADULT PSYCHIATRY, RELEVANT QUALIFICATIONS AND OR EXPERIENCE ESSENTIAL. ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS IN AGED PSYCHIATRY AND OR DRUG AND ALCOHOL ARE WELCOME AND A DEFINITE ADVANTAGE. A vision for excellence and providing quality care and service to people with complex mental health issues, together with the commitment to developing practice skills will see you join a leading provider of quality mental health services. You need to be self motivated with high level communication and organisational skills, the ability to work both independently and as a member of a team.

In return you will be offered attractive remuneration, excellent working conditions and supported by a professional team.

Award as per ANF. Salary with be commensurate with experience and skill.

Applications close: Friday August 23 2013 Written Applications to: Robyn Baird, HR Co-ordinator 9805 7363 or rbaird@delmonthospital.com.au Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 17

How dietitians can nourish our mental health Nutrition is linked to our physical health and also our mental health. A pioneering group of Australian dietitians working in the field of mental health have created role statements designed to showcase the vital role dietitians play when it comes to treating people with mental illness, writes Karen Keast.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show 45 per cent of the Australian population is expected to experience mental illness or disorders at some stage in their life.

With the nation’s high rate of mental health problems, dietitians are coming into regular contact with clients experiencing mental health co-morbidities.

Mental health problems are associated with poorer lifestyle choices and habits ranging from lower levels of physical activity due to the effect of medications, difficulties accessing and preparing healthy foods along with making poorer food choices, misuse of illicit or prescription drugs, substance abuse and reduced social interaction.

Research shows people with serious mental illnesses are at least twice as likely to be obese and have significantly reduced life expectancy due to cardiovascular diseases.

As well, schizophrenia is known to be an independent risk factor for glucose intolerance and most antipsychotic medications induce weight gain and metabolic syndrome.

With many Australian dietitians revealing they often feel ill-equipped to manage clients with mental health co-morbidities, two Sydney Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) working in the field of mental health helped forge the Dietitians Association of Australia’s first Mental Health Interest Group.

Dr Nerissa Soh and Jan Plain, together with a team of clinical and research dietitians from the Page 18 | www.ncah.com.au

Mental Health Interest Group, began work to research, create and introduce an evidencebased role statement for APDs, to assist and equip them with the knowledge to work with clients experiencing mental health problems in clinical and community settings.

“The role statement gives dietitians an idea of what their job is in mental health,” Dr Soh said.

“Mental health is still regarded as a young field for dietitians.”

The role statement for APDs defines the role and responsibilities of dietitians in the area of mental health, and outlines where other allied health professionals, such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists and exercise physiologists step in.

It also promotes the knowledge and expertise of APDs when it comes to the prevention, treatment and management of the chronic disease risks and conditions which are prevalent in people with mental illness.

“APDs identify, assess and monitor the mental and physical health risks associated with food and nutrition, and plan and manage the nutrition and dietetic care, lifestyle and well-being of people with mental illness,” the summary states.

“A referral to an APD by a psychiatrist, nurse, GP or allied health professional is strongly recommended when a client has: pre-existing metabolic co-morbidities; is at risk of metabolic syndrome; has an unrelated acute or chronic illness; and/or has developed metabolic symptoms on commencing a new psychotropic medication, including lithium.”

Ms Plain said the role statement was designed to support dietitians working with people with mental health issues.

“It’s giving people confidence, understanding and knowledge which also helps reduce the stigma associated with mental illness,” she said.

“I think it’s really important that we realise here that people with mental illness deserve exactly the same sort of care for their condition as any other person in the population.

“It comes down to a right for their care and a quality for their care.

“Mental health is everybody’s business. We want dietitians to realise that it’s a part of dealing with health care, it’s not something specifically limited to one area.”

A senior dietitian and manager of the WellBeing Unit at Macquarie Hospital, a specialised mental health residential facility, Ms Plain has been a dietitian for 40 years, working directly in mental health for the past eight years.

Dr Soh is a research officer at Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services at Northern Sydney Local Health District, who has worked in mental health and in eating disorders for the past 13 years.

The Mental Health Interest Group also completed a second role statement aimed at informing other health professionals about the role of dietitians when it comes to treating clients with mental illness.

“As mental health is still a young field in dietetics, this second role statement clarifies to our health professional colleagues what skills and services an APD provides to clients with

mental illnesses, including in multidisciplinary treatment teams,” Dr Soh said.

The statements are also working to assist dietitians in advocating for dietetic positions in mental health services.

“Dietitians are saying – it’s great, we need this information, we need this support from something that is published and endorsed and to be able to advocate and justify positions within their health sectors,” Ms Plain said.

The main role statement for dietitians sets out the specific skills beneficial to APDs working with clients with mental health problems as well as key activities for dietitians working in the area of practice, ranging from those at an individual level to a service or organisational level.

Perhaps, most importantly, the statements highlight dietitians as an integral part of the management of patients with mental health problems, showcasing that the right approach to nutrition can make a vital difference.

“Nutrition care is for everybody and critical for everybody’s health and well-being and recovery,” Ms Plain said.

“Nutrition care is really fundamental to the care of anyone, including people with mental health illness. It’s the basis of our very being. We can’t survive without food.”

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 19

NDIS drives demand for mental health agency nurses Mental health nurses are likely to play a key role within the mix of care providers made available to recipients of the National Disability Insurance Scheme through nursing agencies.

Simon Schweigert, secretariat of the Association of Nursing Recruitment Agencies (ANRA), told NCAH that mental health issues were often part of a greater disability issue.

“There’s certainly a cohort within disability care client base, who have mental health issues that represent part of their overall needs. It’s rare to find a patient who just has one need; usually there’s a combination of issues that need addressing, of which mental health is certainly one.”

Schweigert noted anecdotal evidence of rising demand, since the scheme’s introduction, for agencies to provide mental health specialists as part of a mix of care for NDIS recipients.

“What many people with disabilities and their families require is enhanced quality of life, and nurses with a specialisation in mental care play a key role in providing that.”

Agencies looked set to play a key role in care provision, including mental health care, going forward, as NDIS recipients and their families had greater power of decision in designing an approved healthcare plan following the introduction of the NDIS, Schweigert said.

“Another thing that undoubtedly plays a part is the fact that many mental health issues that previously went undiagnosed, such as autism and Alzheimer’s, are now being recognised.”

Over the longer term, creating an agile and responsive workforce with the right mix of specialisms was an ongoing challenge for the healthcare sector, he said, adding that the role of nursing agencies would continue to grow due to their ability to respond flexibly to changing requirements.

Meanwhile, factors such as an ageing population looked set to see demand for mental health professionals such as psychiatric nurses continue to grow, he added.

... usually there’s a combination of issues that need addressing, of which mental health is certainly one.

– Simon Schweigert, Association of Nursing Recruitment Agencies (ANRA) Secretariat

Page 20 | www.ncah.com.au

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 21

Decision on self-education cap postponed

by Karen Keast Nurses, midwives and allied health professionals have won a reprieve in their fight against the Federal Government’s proposed $2000 a year cap on tax deductibility for work-related selfeducation expenses.

this disgraceful policy will adversely impact on the amount of self-education, continuous professional development and postgraduate studies they can undertake in the future,” Ms Thomas said.

The Federal Government has revealed it will now postpone its decision on the cap until May.

“The ANMF has argued the $2000 cap will be a real disincentive for nurses and midwives to improve their clinical skills and keep pace with new health technology, pharmaceuticals and treatments.

The move comes amid a groundswell of opposition to the cap, with 70 industry and professional groups, including the nation’s peak nursing, midwifery and allied health organisations, adding their support to the Scrap the Cap campaign.

ThegrowingallianceincludestheAustralianNursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), Australian College of Midwives, Australian Physiotherapy Association, Australian Psychological Society, Occupational Therapy Australia, Optometrists Association Australia, Dietitians Association of Australia, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses.

ANMF federal secretary Lee Thomas said a new poll showed most nurses, midwives and assistants-in-nursing (AINs) believe the cap will affect their ability to deliver quality care, with the average amount spent on education and training reaching $8000 in the last two years.

“Nurses and midwives continue to be worried that the delivery of safe patient care will be compromised if they are unable to afford their ongoing education and professional development as a result of the $2000 cap,” she said.

The poll, conducted by the ANMF, found 94 per cent of respondents claim education expenses on their tax with most revealing they will reduce their level of education and training or only carry out their minimum training requirements as a result of the cap.

“The poll proves the overwhelming majority of nurses, midwives and AINs are really concerned Page 22 | www.ncah.com.au

“That’s now been confirmed by the survey, with most nurses and midwives saying they’ll be forced to reduce their education or at least only undertake the minimum as required by law.”

The proposed cap, which will place a $2000 limit on tax deductions for professional courses and training, was set to come into force from July next year.

NURSING & MIDWIFERY SCHOLARSHIPS Open 22 July 2013 Close 13 Sept 2013 Apply online www.acn.edu.au freecall 1800 117 262 An Australian Government initiative supporting nurses and midwives. ACN, Australia’s professional organisation for all nurses is proud to work with the Department of Health and Ageing as the fund administrator of this program.

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 23

Nurses blame aged care system for failure

by Karen Keast Systemic failures in New Zealand’s aged care system, and not nurses, are to blame for an alleged failure of care in a Wellington aged care facility, according to the nation’s nurses’ union.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) has defended nurses against allegations they failed to adequately care for a 69-year-old female Alzheimer’s resident who was found covered in her own faeces three times in the past two months.

The NZNO said the incident highlights the need for urgent changes in the sector, including funding transparency in a bid to show how government funding is used in aged care, along with better pay, training recognition and the development of standard safe staffing levels.

understaffed and under resourced. Residents have complex health and personal care needs.

“Evidence demonstrates that patient outcomes are negatively impacted when there are insufficient regulated nurses.”

The Caring Counts report found discrimination is rife against New Zealand’s 48,000 aged care workers, with many workers found to be underpaid and undervalued despite the sector evolving into one of the country’s fastest growing industries.

The inquiry found a serious inequity in pay rates, funded by District Health Boards through providers, with care workers in the community often paid $3 to $5 an hour less than caring staff directly employed by the DHBs.

“All NZNO members will be appalled by the treatment of the elderly woman at the centre of this case and we support the family in their call for change and improvements to the sector,” NZNO aged care industrial advisor David Wait said.

“However this must not be considered an isolated incident. Residential aged care in New Zealand is in crisis as the Human Rights Commission Caring Counts report identified independently last year.

“The lack of mandatory staffing levels, inadequate registered nursing hours, training requirements and pay rates for carers on, or near the minimum wage, clearly show how undervalued this work is.”

NZNO professional nursing advisor Lorraine Ritchie said a former worker from the Malvina Major Retirement Village at the centre of the allegations told her one registered nurse was rostered on for the entire facility overnight.

“That’s one nurse responsible for over 200 residents and patients,” she said.

“Nurses and carers simply cannot provide the care which they want to provide if the facility is Page 24 | www.ncah.com.au

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E recruit@ruralhealthselect.com.au T +61 8 6389 4500 W www.ruralhealthselect.com.au Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 25

Affordable allied health key to rural population retention

The dearth of affordable allied health services in key parts of Queensland could lead to declining populations in rural and regional areas, a high profile politician has warned.

said the Townsville Hospital currently provided a speech pathology outreach service to children, prior to the commencement of fulltime schooling.

State Member for Mount Isa in Queensland, Rob Katter, reportedly said regional areas needed to retain allied health services if they wanted to prevent a diaspora from the bush, after the case of Hughenden boy Lennox Badger came to light.

It is understood that once a child starts fulltime schooling, speech pathology services are taken over by the Queensland Department of Education or through Catholic Education, depending on the school.

Weekly speech therapy sessions had become a mainstay for the boy, who had suffered hearing loss from a young age, meaning his ability to speak properly and learn sounds correctly was hindered.

After approaching local health services and hospitals, the Speech Pathology school at James Cook University and multiple private clinics in Brisbane, his mother found a private provider who could offer therapy over Skype.

The cost of the therapy was putting strain on the family budget, however, with a half hour lesson per week costing $65 and neither Medicare nor private health insurance able to subsidise the cost.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service director of speech pathology Karen Phillips reportedly Page 26 | www.ncah.com.au

When Mrs Badger enquired about speech therapy through the local state school, it ermerged the service had been cut due to budget constraints.

Speech Pathology Australia CEO Gail Mulcair said she was aware of numerous cases similar to that Lennox Badger’s.

“Medicare rebates for telehealth services by allied health professionals, including speech pathologists, should be available and not just when seeing a doctor,” she said.

“Speech Pathology Australia believes in supporting patients to access equitable services and equitable reimbursement for services, regardless of where they live, and is working with other allied health professions to correct this imbalance.”

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 27

Historic name change for ANF highlights midwives

by Karen Keast “With the advent of national registration, midwifery was recognised as a separate profession on the register and, of course, that really was the end of the line as far as we were concerned.”

Ms Thomas, a registered midwife, said she had been working towards the name change for 10 years in her varying union roles but it had taken some time to convince the union’s membership.

“It wasn’t the first time we have tried to change our name,” she said.

“We tried to change our name two or three years previously but it didn’t get up through our membership and of course the new membership has changed their view.

“I think the midwives have been delighted.”

The Australian Nursing Federation has a new name and a new look.

Australia’s largest health union has changed its name to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) and it’s unveiled a contemporary logo design.

ANMF federal secretary Lee Thomas said the name change reflected both nurses and midwives and comes as midwifery is now recognised as a separate profession to nursing.

“Inserting midwives into our name is absolutely the right thing to do,” Ms Thomas said.

“We had recognised them separately in our literature, we have always put nurses and midwives in our policy and we have spoken about nurses and midwives in the media and in our publications.

“The World Health Organisation had recognised midwives as being different from nurses for some time.

Page 28 | www.ncah.com.au

The name change, which took effect on July 25, comes after the New South Wales Nurses’ Association changed its name to New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association in 2012 and the South Australian branch changed its name to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA Branch) in 2010.

Ms Thomas said as a result of the new ANMF name, the nation’s four branches that are state and federally registered concurrently, which includes Victoria, Tasmania, the ACT, and the Northern Territory, will automatically have a name change to reflect the role of midwives.

“I think it’s an historic moment for our union; there’s absolutely no doubt about it,” she said.

“I am particularly delighted that I am the federal secretary when it actually occurred.”

Ms Thomas said the ANMF logo still features the rising sun and the cross but has received a contemporary make-over.

The ANMF began as the Australasian Trained Nurses’ Association in 1921 before becoming the Royal Australian Nursing Federation. It changed its name to the Australian Nursing Federation in the mid-1980s.

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Allied health, nursing and midwifery fees unveiled

by Karen Keast

Physiotherapists, optometrists, occupational therapists and medical radiation practitioners will pay less in their registration fees for 201314.

Nurses and midwives and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners will pay the same fees as last year while pharmacists, podiatrists, psychologists, chiropractors, dentists, osteopaths, Chinese medicine practitioners and medical practitioners will pay increased registration fees limited to national CPI of 2.5 per cent.

The national boards recently unveiled their practitioner registration fees, which reflect the cost of regulating each profession under the national law, and are set to apply from August 1.

Under the 2013-14 registration fees, physiotherapy fees have been cut to $179,

optometry fees to $395, occupational therapy fees to $230 and medical radiation practitioner fees to $295.

Nurses and midwives will continue to pay $160 while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners will pay $100.

Pharmacy fees will rise to $318, podiatry fees to $377, psychology fees to $419, chiropractic fees to $531, dental fees to $586, osteopathy fees to $517, Chinese medicine practitioner fees to $564 while medical practitioners will pay $695.

Fees for osteopaths and podiatrists in New South Wales, a co-regulatory jurisdiction within the national registration and accreditation scheme, are yet to be announced by the NSW Health Professional Councils Authority.

For the full article visit NCAH.com.au Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16 | Page 29

SA nurses and midwives lead nation

by Karen Keast nurses and midwives will not be called upon to ration care.

“Staffing levels will be based on actual nurses and midwives required. That’s a very positive outcome and really does secure patient safety.

“The current skills mix arrangement, which is currently 70-30 split, will also be preserved.

“This will mean that South Australian hospitals will continue to lead nationally in the provision of safe and efficient nursing and midwifery care.”

South Australia is the national leader in nursing and midwifery staffing and skills mix after securing a new in-principle agreement in its enterprise bargaining negotiations.

Nurses and midwives will receive a three per cent pay rise annually for the next three years after the deal was reached between the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA Branch) and the State Government, averting industrial action.

ANMF (SA Branch) CEO Adj Assoc Professor Elizabeth Dabars said the draft agreement set South Australian hospitals at the forefront of safe and efficient nursing and midwifery care.

“I am extremely pleased that we have been able to achieve such an excellent outcome for nurses and midwives and the community at large, particularly in a very difficult environment,” she said.

“It’s an environment where there’s been, in the lead up to the negotiations, so much talk about job cuts and a lot of talk of budget constraints.

“This agreement, because staffing levels will be secured in an appropriate way, means that Page 30 | www.ncah.com.au

Adj Assoc Professor Dabars said the union was still to finalise negotiations surrounding the provision of professional development, while the agreement would then have to be drafted and a ballot put to members.

If the agreement process goes to plan, the new EBA will come into effect from October.

“This is exciting but there is still further work to be done. We are not cracking open the champagne yet,” she said.

The win for SA nurses comes as the battle for improved wages and conditions continues in the ACT and New South Wales.

ACT nurses and midwives are planning to take protected industrial action while New South Wales’ nurses and midwives have vowed to continue their strike action.

“We have looked at what our colleagues and counterparts have been faced with interstate and overseas,” Adj Assoc Professor Dabars said.

“We have certainly acknowledged that we have done extremely well and we hope those jurisdictions look to South Australia.”

Adj Assoc Professor Dabars said the union will prepare a podcast of information about the agreement and will also visit members at their workplaces to discuss the draft EBA.

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 16

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