The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) this week welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to overhaul Medicare to better address Australia’s health needs and expand the scope of primary care nurses.
“I welcome today’s news that nurses look set to play a key role in funding reforms to Medicare,” ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN said.
“The news aligns with our consistent calls for a multidisciplinary approach to primary care that focuses on health outcomes rather than individual fee for service models.
“For too long, Medicare has failed to properly use and recognise the expert skills of nurses, Australia’s largest health profession, a move that has placed the health of Australians at great risk.
“All Australians, regardless of their postcode, deserve access to the highly-skilled health care we provide.
“Nurses are at the front lines of care and are often the first point of contact for those entering the health system – yet for too long we have been unable to work to our full scope of practice.
“As I outlined in an opinion piece ahead of the 2022 Federal Election, nurses are hiding in plain sight as the solution to addressing rural and remote health care shortages.
“It takes a progressive and brave Government to address the inequalities in a system that has disadvantaged too many for far too long.
“We look forward to seeing further details about the reforms and continuing to work with the Federal and State governments to ensure no Australian is left behind when it comes to quality health care.”
