More to do, but APNA welcomes Albanese Government’s approach to health reforms

Student nurse placements will strengthen primary health care 

Media Release 2 May 2023 

The peak body representing Australia’s 96,000 Primary Health Care nurses has welcomed the Albanese Government’s first steps to reforming Medicare, which will help improve Australia’s health. 

While there are many issues to address in the primary health care system and fixing everything in one Budget is not possible, the Government’s commitment to moving Medicare towards a team-based, multi-disciplinary model of care is the right approach.  

APNA President Karen Booth welcomed the Albanese Government’s announcement that it would ban unregulated access to nicotine-containing products (vaping), as well as the government’s scope of practice review and its approach to a broader review of health care in general. 

Ms Booth said the Government’s announcement supporting 6,000 primary health care nursing student placements, as part of its wider $2.2 billion reforms to Medicare, would help to strengthen Australia’s primary health care system and improve the future sustainability of the primary health care nursing profession in Australia,  

“There is much to do in health. It was never going to be solved in one Budget,” Ms Booth said.  

“We respect the considered approach of the Minister, welcome the government’s action on vaping, and look forward to working closely with the Minister on workforce issues, including the scope of practice review and various efforts to bolster the nursing workforce in primary health care.” 

APNA looks forward to additional announcements regarding primary health care nurses in next week’s Federal Budget.