Nine of the nation’s largest nursing and midwifery organisations gathered at Parliament House in Canberra yesterday to call for urgent and meaningful primary health care reform.

Emphasising the pivotal role of nurses and midwives in addressing systemic challenges, the group conducted health checks on politicians while highlighting their clear message that frontline professionals remain key to driving sustainable improvements across Australia’s healthcare system.

Launching a campaign to empower nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, and allied health professionals to work to their full scope of practice, the Alliance is urging governments to take decisive action. The push aims to improve access to quality and affordable healthcare for all Australians, particularly in light of the recent scope of practice review consultation process, which highlighted the underutilisation of these essential professionals.  

Despite making up 54% of the health workforce, many nurses, nurse practitioners, and midwives are not supported to work to their full potential, with one-third working in primary healthcare rarely practicing to their full scope. Addressing this imbalance is critical to strengthening Australia’s health system, the nursing peaks argued. 

The Alliance of nine Peaks includes the Australian College of Nursing (ACN), the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA), the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP), the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM), the Australian College of Midwives (ACM), the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN), the Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia (CRANAplus), and the Council of the Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (CDNM).  

At the event, titled, Parliamentary Friends of Nursing, nurses and midwives demonstrated their expertise by providing skin and hearing checks, postnatal and prenatal care, and basic life support demonstrations. They highlighted the importance of supporting these professionals to work to their full scope of practice, using evidence, data, and facts to counter misinformation and uninformed commentary about the quality, capability, and cost-effectiveness of nursing, midwifery, and allied health services. 

During the event, the Peaks also held meetings with  Health and Age care Minister Mark Butler to discuss primary healthcare reform, urging the government to take up reforms recommended in the recently released Scope of Practice Review.   

Speaking at the event, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Federal Secretary Annie Butler said evidence shows enabling full scope of practice benefits patient experiences, leads to better outcomes, reduces costs and improves health equity. 

“We know when nurses and midwives work to their full scope of practice in rural multi-disciplinary health services, community services and multi-disciplinary general practice models, people do better.” she said.

“We have measured the impact of nurses working to full scope of practice improving cancer care, better mental health, better chronic disease management, improved birth outcomes and reducing interventions and generally keeping people healthy and healthier.” 

Ms Butler emphasised that fully utilising nurses and midwives would profoundly impact everyday Australians’ lives.  

“What does that mean to the average Australian? It means that parents with young children can rely on a school nurse to identify issues early, allowing them to address problems before they escalate. It means that a worried mum in the ACT can visit a walk-in clinic and receive reassurance and care from a dedicated nurse. It means that a homeless person in Queensland, who might otherwise be left without support, can access life-changing services like One Reach. That’s what truly matters to people.” 

Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care and former ANMF Secretary and nurse Ged Kearney, also speaking at the event, reflected on her career, highlighting the privilege of working alongside highly skilled nurses and midwives. However, she noted that these professionals are often unable to fully utilise their extensive skills, which ultimately deprives Australians of the high-quality care they deserve. 

“The review which unleashes the potential of our workforce, The Scope of Practice Review, found that virtually all the nation’s health professions, including nurses and midwives, face restriction and barriers to their full scope,” she said. “Restrictions that I might add are unrelated to their knowledge and skill and experience.  

“The review found, for example, that inconsistencies across states and territories make it harder for people to get the care they need and for health practitioners to move where they are needed. Removing unnecessary barriers will make it easier for Australians to get high-quality healthcare.”   

The Nursing Peak’s campaign will work with the Federal Government, the Opposition and all parties and Independents to ensure significant healthcare reform in line with the raft of independent reviews under the Strengthening Medicare banner. Promisingly, they believe the government has indicated it recognises the growth of the health needs of patients and communities and the need for reform for optimum care, and will work with them to ensure necessary change occurs.