The two-year initiative provides bonus payments to registered nurses and is one of a range of initiatives announced in the Federal
Budget to support and encourage employment in aged care.
Registered nurses who work full-time in in-home care, residential aged care or Commonwealth Home Support Programme settings for 12 months can receive a $3,700 payment each year, if working full-time. Those working part-time or casually can receive a payment on a pro-rata basis averaging around $2,700 each year.
Nurses who work in a rural or remote area, hold a postgraduate qualification, or take on further leadership or training responsibilities in their workplace will also be entitled to a further $2,300.
To be eligible for the payments registered nurses must be working for the same aged care provider over the following eligibility periods:
- 1 November 2021 – 31 October 2022
- 1 November 2022 – 31 October 2023
How the Aged Care Registered Nurses’ Payment will positively impact in-home care?
Prestige Inhome Care acting CEO Thea McCroary says: “We are very proud of our incredible team of nurses who make a vital difference in protecting the health and wellbeing of our clients and their families.
However, like many in-home care providers, in recent years we have experienced a shrinking workforce among this group (registered nurses). This has been further impacted by COVID-19 outbreaks and the need for these registered nurses to be at the frontline, responding to this and redeployed to COVID vaccination clinics.
We’re hopeful this government incentive will encourage registered nurses in other fields, as well as students studying nursing to consider aged care.
The more quality nurses we can attract and retain through the help of government incentives like this, the more ageing Australians we’ll be able to support in continuing to live independently in their own homes.”
For more information on the Aged Care Registered Nurses’ Payment head to the Department of Health website.