The Federal Government has belatedly recognised the importance of an overworked and understaffed workforce in dedicating funding directly to aged carers, the United Workers Union said today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe challenge for the Federal Government is to make sure the workers who will be running aged care in this time of crisis get the money they have been promised,\u201d Carolyn Smith, the National Aged Care Director of United Workers Union said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a fair, transparent and equitable system to deliver the funding as quickly as possible to aged carers \u2013 they need this to go straight into their pockets.<\/p>\n
\u201cAged carers will be on the front line of this crisis, and they need all the support they can get.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe $235 million for retention bonuses is welcome recognition of the importance of aged carers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must not be soaked up by the top layer or go missing in red tape.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Smith said funding dedicated to aged care facilities was also welcome, given almost half the aged care homes in Australia were already unprofitable.<\/p>\n
However she highlighted the $78.3 million allocated to staff continuity and supply as indicative of the Morrison government\u2019s continuing failure to understand the crisis facing aged care.<\/p>\n
\u201cScott Morrison doesn\u2019t \u2018get\u2019 aged care \u2013 the funding is inadequate because it misunderstands the extent of issues the sector is already facing,\u201d Ms Smith said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOverwork, understaffing and the inability to find appropriate time to care for the elderly in their care are the big issues for aged care workers.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the size of the existing problem demonstrated by the Royal Commission, this funding doesn\u2019t even get us back to square one, let alone dealing with the mammoth challenges that are going to be facing aged care during the coronavirus crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this coronavirus continues on its current trajectory, Scott Morrison needs to rethink this funding for extra staff, and substantially increase it.<\/p>\n
\u201cExamples from Italy during this crisis show aged care is too important to be given the \u2018once over lightly\u2019 treatment yet again.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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