Aged-care campaign gets into gear.

NZNO's aged-care campaign was set to move up a notch as Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand went to print.

The campaign goal is to achieve additional government funding for the sector, which is in a crisis of underfunding.

NZNO aged-care co-ordinator Cee Payne-Harker said additional funding was urgently needed to ensure quality of care in the sector. "But any additional funding must be targeted to training, staffing levels and fair pay in a sector which is abysmally underpaid," she said. The average hourly rate for a caregiver is $10.80.

The newly branded campaign will mobilise NZNO aged-care members, together with members of the Service and Food Workers' Union (SFWU). The unions will work with the providers to build public support and Lobby government for more funding. The focus of the public campaign will be to achieve additional funding in Budget 2005. A public Leaflet and postcard to the Prime Minister, calling for increased funding of aged-care, was Launched at a round of Know Your Industry delegate seminars in early December. The seminars in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch brought together NZNO and SFWU delegates from around the country, with the aim of raising awareness of the issues and identifying 100 Leaders, who would be at the forefront of the campaign. Speakers included providers, and representatives from the Community Support Services Industry Training Organisation (CSSITO) and district health boards. "We are hoping all NZNO members will back this campaign and ensure we get thousands of postcards to the Prime Minister," said Payne-Harker. Postcards are available by emailing [e-mail]

A new campaign Logo has been developed and a range of resources will carry that branding, starting with 10,000 coloured stickers. In other developments, NZNO, SFWU, the Council of Trade Unions and the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services made a joint approach to key government ministers in November, requesting a meeting to discuss the aged-care funding crisis. A delegation met with the Ministers of Finance, Health and Disability Services on December 1. The delegation is now waiting for the outcome of the meeting.

Another result of the joint campaign has been the response in December from the parliamentary Health Select Committee to a petition from 3000 caregivers calling for government funding for caregiver training. The committee recommended that Government ensures fully funded foundation skills training is available for caregivers and it provides additional funding to the aged-care sector.

Aged-Core Sector Group Report, Lyndy McIntyre