SA nurses call for Vic-style free uni deal for recruitment blitz

SA must match generous offers to university students in Victoria or risk losing potential workers to their recruitment blitz, the union warns.

The state’s nurses union is pressing for incentives to recruit and retain nurses in light of the Victorian government’s recent move to cover university fees for 10,000 nursing and midwifery students.

The pitch by Victoria, which also includes scholarships for thousands more to complete postgraduate courses, has raised fears South Australia’s best and brightest young students will head across the border rather than incur HECS debts here.

Premier Peter Malinauskas is “open minded” about the Victorian move and says he will monitor the situation — without indicating a matching offer.

However, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation state secretary Elizabeth Dabars said with a national shortfall of staff looming, the HECS-free move must be mirrored in SA.

“Given the projected shortfall of nurses and midwives in Australia, we believe all the measures the Victorian Government have committed to must be included as part of those workforce planning discussions in SA,” Ms Dabars said.

“We certainly support and have been advocating HECS fees for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses to be covered. However, while we need to build the future workforce there is an urgent and pressing need to reward and retain the existing workforce.”

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation state secretary Elizabeth Dabars. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Premier Peter Malinauskas and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation SA CEO Elizabeth Dabars, with SA nurses.

The union is seeking a retention allowance through enterprise bargaining negotiations now underway as well as safer staffing and better wages and conditions.

The union also is seeking special incentives for nurses and midwives to relocate to regional South Australia to boost health services outside Adelaide.

“We are currently awaiting a response to our claims and we expect this to be provided within the next number of weeks,” Ms Dabars said.

“The ANMF SA branch has also been advocating for the full employment of all graduating nurses and midwives into a graduate program by the SA Government and the continuing employment of those who are completing that program this year.

“We have been calling on this for months and have been reassured an announcement will be made imminently. We certainly hope it is, given the shortage of nurses and midwives is at a critical point locally, nationally and internationally.”

Usually only about half of the approximately 1200 graduating cohort gain graduate employment, although the former state government took the full intake last year.

The staff shortfall means the usual remainder often subsequently gain employment, but without the rigour and support of a proper graduate program.

“We urgently need to not only employ and retain all the nurses and midwives into a graduate program and those completing that program, but we also desperately need to reward and recognise those staff already working in the system so they can support the more junior staff,’’ Ms Dabars said.

The union has commenced a “workforce planning” strategic committee with the Department for Health after endorsement of the move by the state government.