Wage parity and skills mix, nurses say!(NEWS)

Addressing the wages gap and skills mix top the list in submissions made by nurses and assistants in nursing to the Productivity Commission following its draft report on aged care reform released in January.

Written submissions to the Commission closed at the end of last month and public hearings were being held at the time the AN] went to print.

Registered nurse Penny Temple, has worked in the aged care sector for 20 years. She wants competitive rates of pay for real reform. "Every year it gets harder to attract and retain staff and in almost every case the reason given by RNs for leaving the sector is the lack of wage parity with the acute care sector."

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