ADVOCACY PROFESSIONAL ADVOCATE ROLE
NSW AGED CARE ROUNDTABLE
The Association has developed a new Professional Advocate role for engaged members wanting to use their voice to advocate for their profession(s) within their context of practice. Although still at development stage, so far 20 members have been identified as leaders in their field and some have already provided expert witness on behalf of the Association at NSW inquires and consultations.
Meetings increased to monthly to reflect the amount of joint work undertaken with key stakeholders in advocating for aged care nurses and assistants in nursing.
They may be involved in some of the following activities: Media Skills in reviewing/contributing to submissions Expert advice/opinion Providing evidence to relevant inquiries and reviews Providing education about their area of practice
NSW MATERNITY SERVICES ALLIANCE The Association initiated the formation of the NSW Maternity Service Alliance, comprising consumers, midwives, academics, and professional and industrial groups. Wrote to Minister Hazzard requesting information, including the availability of midwifery models of care in NSW and number of midwives who work in these models Had a Question On Notice from the Alliance put to Minister Hazzard Developed a ‘What is a midwife?’ document, identified future work to promote midwifery care and advocate for midwives and women in NSW
Collective advocacy regarding rural and remote aged care workforce shortages was agreed at a meeting attended by 16 members representing 11 stakeholder organisations Roundtable organisations have attended as witnesses and given evidence to the NSW Select Committee Inquiry into the provisions of the Public Health Amendment (Registered Nurses in Nursing Homes) Bill 2020 in favour of retaining and extending current legislation to require a Director of Nursing and registered nurse on duty at all times in every residential aged care facility in NSW Members of the Roundtable collectively made a submission to this Inquiry Successful in requesting delay to repeal of s104 of the Public Health Act NSW (2010) that requires a registered nurse and director of nurse in nursing homes Development of 10 Questions to Ask leaflets for those accessing home care services The Australian Government Department of Health is promoting the 10 Questions to Ask series through the MyAgedCare website and has linked the availability of the leaflets as evidence of compliance against quality standards required of residential aged care facilities. A Department of Health newsletter also went out to aged care providers and stakeholders promoting the series
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