Funding is available to support registered and enrolled nurses to return to employment in aged care.
Funding is also available to assist employers with the re-training and re-skilling of nurses who return to
work.
This funding, announced on 15 January 2008 by the Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, and the
Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Nicola Roxon MP committed $39.4 million over 5 years to
provide places for 7,750 extra nurses and midwives in public and private hospitals and 1,000 nurses in
residential aged care homes.
Funding is available to nurses who have not been employed in a clinical nursing position for 12 months prior to their return to work in an aged care facility or in community aged care. Bonuses of up to $6000 for eligible nurses and upt to $1000 for employers are available.
Nurses wishing to return to work in community aged care are eligible from 2 December 2008 and those returning to work in an aged care facility are eligible from 15 January 2009.
For further information about the Bringing Nurses Back into the Workforce program please contact the Royal College of Nursing Australia on:
Freecall: 1800 553 252
Email: BNBW@rcna.org.au
Website: www.rcna.org.au
