ANF says health must be top election priority

The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) is calling for health to be a top priority leading up to the federal election on September 14.

ANF federal secretary Lee Thomas said they are calling on all the parties “to make safe patient care for all Australians a top priority at the election”.

“As a result, the ANF will be seeking urgent representations with all major parties as well as key independents to put our health platform to them and asking that they commit to the ongoing delivery of safe patient healthcare for the Australian community,” she said.

Some of the issues that the ANFs health platform must address, said Thomas, are the predicted shortage of 109,000 nurses and midwives by 2025, the current shortage of 25,000 nurses in the aged care sector, the underemployment of nursing graduates and health budget cuts across the states and territories.

“These are serious issues which impact the ANF’s growing 225,000 membership, as well as the whole of the Australian community,” Thomas said, adding that the ANF is the professional and industrial voice for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing in Australia.

“As a major stakeholder in the health, aged care and the industrial and professional arenas, the ANF will be working hard throughout this election campaign to ensure all parties listen to our concerns and commit to safe patient care this election.”

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