Gilgandra Shire Council has recruited 16 aged care workers from the Philippines to work for Gilgandra Aged Care and Disability Services, as providers across the country, particularly in the regions, struggle to meet the 200 direct care minutes requirement which came into effect on 1 October 2023.
The Council in regional NSW, about 340km northwest of Sydney, has worked with international immigration organisation, Groworx, which has offices in the Philippines and Australia, to bring the new staff members into the country.
“They are a mix of overseas trained registered nurses and care workers who have completed a Certificate III in Aged Care with an Australian training organisation,” said Gilgandra Shire Council Director Aged Care and Disability Services, Donna Dobson.
A Q&A session for the community was held earlier in the week, which garnered a “very positive” response and “several offers of help for welcoming initiatives and ongoing support,” a spokesperson for Gilgandra Shire Council told The SOURCE.
The Council is providing four houses for the new staff members to live in – two are Council owned and two are private rentals.
Once in Australia, the Registered Nurses will begin a bridging program to facilitate their registration for practice in Australia.
“Additional staff will enable [the council’s aged care facility] Cooee Lodge to meet the minimum staffing requirements,” Donna said.
The SOURCE: Migration is part of the solution to the aged care workforce crisis, but it will not be sufficient to plug all the gaps.
