‘Long overdue’: $25m to tackle Australia’s nursing crisis

A new $25.2 million program is set to help look after the health and wellbeing of the people who look after all Australians.

Exckusive: Nurses and midwives suffering from burnout, stress and abuse can now access help that might stop them quitting the profession.

The Albanese Government is funding a $25.2 million Nurse and Midwife Health Program that provides a free and confidential telehealth service for nurses, midwives and students.

Since Covid, more than 75,000 nurses – one in five – have left the profession because they were burnt out, denied Medicare payments, underpaid, verbally abused by patients and spoken down to by doctors.

Understaffing means they often work back to back shifts, which has a major impact on their health and wellbeing. Caring for the sick and dying also takes a heavy emotional toll.

Understaffing means nurses often work back to back shifts, which has a major impact on their health and wellbeing. Picture: istock

The first phase of the new support service is a telehealth line (1800 001 060) and a website, which is already up and running, with nurses able to access advice and referrals when needed.

The next phase will see four in-person hubs set up to cover Victoria and Tasmania, New South Wales and the ACT, South Australia and Western Australia, and Queensland and the Northern Territory.

These services will offer both face-to-face and telehealth services.

Under the program nurses will be employed to counsel the nurses who are under stress.

“Australia’s health care system is powered by the sweat, hearts and expertise of nurses and midwives – it’s vital that we look after the health and wellbeing of the people who look after us,” Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney said.

“As a former nurse, I understand just how challenging nursing and midwifery can be. They’re physically demanding and psychologically taxing jobs. This program is long overdue,” she said.

Federal assistant secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) Lori-Anne Sharp welcomed the new program.

“It’s nurses helping nurses,” she said.

“Some of the emotional stresses of what they witness every day when dealing with people so closely and looking after them and their families can put them at risk of burnout.”

The program would provide an opportunity for referral to specialist service such as drug and alcohol services, domestic violence services or gambling support if needed, she said.

Sydney nurse Tayla Vella, who works in end of life care, said there was a great need for the service.

Sydney nurse Tayla Vella has welcomed federal government investment in a new support program for nurses. Picture: Supplied

When she was a junior psychiatric nurse she had seen “a lot of colleagues burn out and lose passion for what they’re doing”.

Nurses often felt “guilted” into working back to back shifts because they didn’t want to let their colleagues or their patients down.

“You miss meals. Sometimes I work eight hours without even having a drink of water and someone working nine to five can’t understand that. This service allows you to talk that through with someone who understands,” she said.

The initiative comes after the government in March introduced new Medicare and PBS rebates for nurse led care to end the “professional slavery” that prevented them from providing care they were qualified to perform without a sign off from doctors.

Nurse groups are still calling for a 35 per cent pay rise and for former nurses to be paid to update their qualifications – and not made start them from scratch.

They also want nursing students to be paid for their 800 hours of practical training so they can pay the rent.