NURSES THE BACKBONE OF QUEENSLAND'S HEALTH SYSTEM

May 12, 2008

Queensland nurses will receive a 4 percent pay rise from 1 July 2008 as part of a wages and incentives package worth nearly $1 billion, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

Mr Robertson, who spoke at the International Nurses and Midwives Day Breakfast today, said the wages and conditions in the last enterprise bargaining agreement (EB) show just how valuable nurses and midwives are to the Bligh Government.

“Queensland nurses are among the highest paid in the country thanks to a 23% wage increase over three years from 2006,” he said.

“A registered graduate nurse entering the workforce who would have been earning $41,600 before the EB was implemented will be earning over $50,000 by the end of the agreement in December 2008.

“We’ve seen these sorts of increases across the board.

“For instance, a nurse unit manager who was earning around $72,000 before the EB was implemented, will earn around $86,400 by the end of this year.

“Nurses are due for their next 4 percent pay rise (or $30 per week whichever is greater) on 1 July this year.”

Mr Robertson said Queensland nurses were also receiving a range of improved conditions under the latest agreement.

“We’ve introduced a professional development package for nurses which offers up to $2,500 reimbursement for professional development per year, as well as a minimum three professional development study days per year,” he said.

“Nurses are the backbone of our health systemand there's no doubt they put their hearts into helping Queenslanders every day.

“That’s why our Government is working hard to ensure Queensland nurses are recognised for the valuable work they do.”

Mr Robertson said the EB incentives also meant the Bligh Government had been able to employ record numbers of nurses since it introduced its $10 billion Health Action Plan in 2005.

“Since June 2005 we’ve employed 4,865 more nurses," he said.

“That’s a total of 26,776 Queensland Health nurses now compared to 21,911 nurses in June 2005.

“Each and every one of these nurses is working very hard to deliver high quality services.

“We’re also committed to implementing strategies to recruit and retain more nurses in Queensland’s public health system.

“Currently we’re ramping up efforts to attract new nurses to the profession with a statewide marketing campaign to be launched in the coming weeks.

“The new marketing campaign aimed to encourage school leavers and young people to consider a career in nursing.

“We’ll also be encouraging former nurses to re-enter the workforce.

“From hospitals, schools and aged care facilities to rural and remote communities and prisons – nurses work in a range of settings.

“Our nurses should be congratulated for their professionalism, their caring and for the valuable contribution they make to building a world class health system.”

MEDIA: AMANDA FROUDE 3225 2680