New Federal Budget maintains the status quo of undervaluing qualified mental health nurses.
Wednesday 26 October 2022
Whilst the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) understands the new Federal Budget for 2022 is reframing the March Budget, the next budget must reflect the value qualified mental health nurses (MHNs) contribute to the community.
The Australian Government must prioritise the recognition of qualified MHNs in the next budget through targeted spending to enable them to provide both mental and physical services in a truly cost-effective manner. Qualified MHNs are currently not recognised for their potential contributions to the highly visible mental health crisis.
“This year has seen significant interactions with all levels of government, the bureaucracy, and representatives of workers in our space. We are encouraged by this level of discussion and what it means for the mental health nursing profession in Australia going forward,” ACMHN CEO Stephen Jackson said.
“The new Australian Government seems keen to understand how to identify qualified MHNs. The College continues to advocate for this developing understanding to translate into recognised standards of practice. As a result, this should be incorporated into subsequent budgets that identify and reward qualified MHNs and their contribution to the workforce.”
“The broader structural reform that has introduced the measurement of social wellbeing factors as key inputs to the development of the traditional fiscal approach to budgets is to be applauded,” Mr Jackson added.
For further comment, please contact the Communications Team via communications@acmhn.org.