Just a news blurb I thought you'd like to read: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/200827.php

The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has revealed a massive increase in its membership across the Australian health system, with almost 25,000 new members joining the union in the past 12 months.

ANF Federal Secretary Lee Thomas said today that its membership had risen 13 per cent between June 2009 and August 2010.

She said that the ANF's membership now stands at over 192,000 members and is likely to reach 200,000 members by Christmas.

As well as working in the public health system, a "significant" number of new members are employed within the private sector aged care industry.

"Our new members include nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing, which is a real vote of confidence in the ANF," Ms Thomas explained.

"We believe the unprecedented growth in the private aged sector reflects the fact that the aged care industry is crying out for urgent reform."

Ms Thomas said "aged care workers are telling us that they support the ANF's current 'Because We Care' campaign and want real change within the aged care system."

"Nurses and assistants in nursing are also demanding urgent changes in the aged care sector where frail residents are receiving less and less care," she said.

"That's why there must be a minimum of nursing hours to ensure residents get the quality care they need.

"Australia should also create a National Aged Care Day for residents, nurses and assistants in nursing so that they do not continue to be forgotten and/or ignored."

The ANF is also calling on the new Gillard Government to:

- Ensure that nurses and midwives are represented on each and every local hospital board under Labor's health restructure;

- Allow modern awards to be reviewed on application, and,

- Review funding of government run industries such as aged care, to ensure funding matches bargaining outcomes.

Ms Thomas said the ANF continued to be concerned about the health gap between rural and metropolitan health systems, gender-based wage inequality and a protection of workers' rights as the current Australian health system undergoes reform.

She said that as the Australian health care system continues to be reformed under the Federal Government, it is vital that our front-line nurses and midwives play a key role in the changes.

The ANF will now be seeking urgent representation with the new Gillard Government as well as Independent MPs to discuss its health agenda.

"These are issues that are of real and pressing concern to our 192,000 members and must be addressed by the new Federal Government as a priority," Ms Thomas added.

Source:
Australian Nursing Federation