The Not For Profit provider has met with employees at seven of its regional and remote facilities as it moves to implement changes to work hours and its service model.
A number of local news outlets have focused negative attention on the changes, with one Bundaberg News Mail story claiming ‘cuts to nursing are killing the elderly’.
But UnitingCare Queensland’s Head of Corporate Affairs Matthew Cuming tells us that “despite recent misleading claims to the contrary, we are not replacing RNs and ENs with personal carers”.
Instead they will be training their personal carers to provide more support to residents, providing RNs with more time to spend with residents with complex needs.
Blue Care also denies reports personal carers will be administering medication, saying RNs will continue to administer any complex and high-risk medications.
Mr Cuming also points out that UnitingCare Queensland’s operating profits have been in deficit for the financial years 2015 and 2016 – a result of the impact of ongoing reforms in the sector and its own investment in the organisation so it can remain sustainable.
