ANF News
ANF Now Welcomes Personal Care Assistants
ANF Tasmanian Branch is excited to announce that Branch Council has resolved to embark on an exciting expansion of industrial and professional services and support for our eligible members employed as Personal Care Assistants (PCAs), however titled.
These expanded services include access to professional support and training through ANF as an accredited Registered Training Organisation; insurance cover; monthly nursing journals; professional updates for the nursing team; conferences; professional advocacy; and access to the ANF Aged Care Special Interest Group.
This important development in part recognises the growing role of PCAs in assisting in the provision of nursing care to residents and patients throughout Tasmania. The ANF campaign “Because We Care” also promotes the value and benefits of care staff in Aged Care.
This expansion brings the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Nursing Federation in line with other ANF state branch representation. ANF looks forward to working with and providing support to PCAs.
PCAs with queries regarding ANF membership are encouraged to contact the ANF Office - 6223 6777 or 1800 001 241 (outside Hobart area).
Ged Kearney - Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing Federation - Because We Care Campaign
Ged Kearney's Address to the National Press Club
NSW full bench knocks back nurses' penalty rates case
A NSW IRC full bench has knocked back the NSW Nurses' Assoc application to increase penalty rates for night shift work under the Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives (State) Award.
Pres Justice Roger Boland, Vice Pres Justice Michael Walton, DP John Grayson and Cmr David Ritchie said for the union's application to succeed in increasing the penalty rates that were first determined in 1973, it would have had to have proven nurses were experiencing more detriment from unsocial hours than they were back then.
The union claim had two parts - to increase penalty rates for night shifts from 15% to 25%; and to introduce a "new" 25% night shift penalty for weekend shifts starting at 4pm and before 4am, to be paid on top of the existing weekend penalty rates.
"Many years have passed since a full bench of this cmn or its predecessors have been required to consider that part of the landmark decisions of the cmn in court session, which concerned the quantum of shift penalties," the bench said.
The union would also have had to prove that increasing the shift penalties for night work would "directly ameliorate ... a proven, actual risk arising from the performance of night shifts by nurses (or a class of them) in the public hospital system", it said. The union had failed to do both, it said.
We do not consider that, on the evidence in the proceedings, the negative social and domestic consequences of working night shifts, such as the effect on social life and marital quality and the work/non-work life balance, has worsened since under the Shift Workers' Case," it said.
It did, however, leave it open to the assoc to re-apply within 12 months after conducting a further review of night shift arrangements.
It advised parties to the case to jointly conduct a study or survey of nurses working night shifts to properly assess the medical issues raised in the proceedings.
(Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' Award. NSWIRC 129. 18/09/09)
Poisons Amendment Bill (no.2) & Poisons Amendment Regulations 2009
Public Holiday Dispute - TIC Agrees with ANF Position!
A decision has been handed down on the public holiday dispute.
ANF Announcement
TIC Decision Paper
Swine Flu - Employment Conditions Update
Ministerial Direction No. 22 Pandemic Leave Provisions
Pandemic Leave Guidelines
Amendments to the Children, Young Persons & Their Families Act 1997
The Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1997 (the Act) commenced in 2000. Its objective is to provide for the care and protection of Tasmanian children and young people who are at risk of abuse or neglect in their family unit, in a way that maximises their ability to reach their full potential. On 1 August 2009 amendments to the Act came into effect. In summary, they provide:
- the ability for mandatory reporters under section 14 of the Act to report concerns about the care of children within their family to the new non-government Gateway Services. This complements the ability to notify Child Protection Services when a child is at risk of significant harm;
- broader powers allowing the sharing of information relevant to the best interests of a child; and
- the Secretary of the DHHS with the ability to receive information concerning unborn children to ensure effective planning is in place at the birth of the child.
Further information about the legislative amendments is available on the DHHS website at: http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/dcyfs/legislation/cyptfa/.
To coincide with the commencement of the amendments, new non-government Gateway Services, incorporating intensive family support services, opened on August 2009. The contact number for Gateway Services is 1800 171 233. From 9am-5pm Monday – Friday, this number will divert to the appropriate regional Gateway Services office. Baptcare is running the Gateway Services in both the South West and the North; and Mission Australia is operating the Gateway Services in the South East and the North West.
- Gateway Services are for children and families which are in need of family support; and
- Child Protection Services will respond where there is alleged harm to the child.
If you have any queries please contact Diane Caney, Manager, CAFS Team, Policy and Programs, DCYFS, on 6233 8540 or diane.caney@dhhs.tas.gov.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
Important changes to the Subclass 457 business (Long Stay) visa program.
Retirement Age up to 67 Years has Adverse Affect for Nurses
Initiative for Nurses to return to Aged Care
A new initiative to encourage nurses back into residential aged care (Bringing nurses back into the workforce)