The Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU) has slammed a move by BlueCare, the state’s largest private aged care provider, to sack 60% of its enrolled nursing workforce starting this week.
QNMU Secretary Sarah Beaman warned that reducing the number of ENs – who play a crucial role in checking, monitoring and medicating thousands of elderly Queenslanders – would put patient care at risk.
BlueCare is planning to sack up to 84 of an estimated 130 enrolled nurses across 21 Queensland facilities, the union says.
“The loss of such an experienced and important part of the workforce will have swift and widespread ramifications,” she said.
“We hold serious concerns for the ongoing wellbeing of BlueCare’s aged care residents.”
On top of the cuts, the QNMU says nurses have been gagged from speaking with residents and families about the changes. But members “will not be silenced”, the union declared, vowing to “sound the alarm” to every agency willing to listen over BlueCare’s latest decision to slash care.
This includes referring UnitingCare Queensland and BlueCare’s mass care reduction to federal Aged Care and Seniors Minister, Sam Rae, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACGSC), the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
“The QNMU is urging friends and family members to visit loves ones with BlueCare to check their wellbeing, seek an updated roster and demand answers from management as a matter of urgency,” Ms Beaman said.
“UnitingCare Queensland and BlueCare have a long tradition of cutting nurse numbers and hours. They cut care during COVID-19, the Aged Care Royal Commission and clearly this continues. Queensland’s elderly, and those who care for them, deserve better.”
In aged care, Assistants in Nursing (AINs)/Personal Care Workers (PCWs) work under and alongside registered nurses and enrolled nurses to carry out duties including bathing and assistance with feeding.
Under existing federal aged care requirements, it is not illegal for aged care providers to reduce or remove EN hours or numbers.
The QNMU fears that in the absence of enough ENs to undertake complex roles such as medication management will be handballed to PCWs, a practice that is understood to have already been rolled out by a number of private aged care providers.
“An enrolled nurse can detect the deteriorating of residents’ health and has the skills to respond accordingly to save lives,” Ms Beaman said.
“Removing large numbers of enrolled nurses from 21 BlueCare facilities will have serious and swift impacts. We are deeply concerned personal care workers will be tasked with roles formally carried out by enrolled nurses.
“This is dangerous and cannot be allowed. UnitingCare Queensland and BlueCare must be held to account.”
