In the first six months of 2022, there have been almost 2,000 formal health and safety notifications submitted to the Ministry of Health from aged care facility nurses, National’s Health spokesperson, Dr Shane Reti says.

“A Section 31 notice is submitted from a registered nurse to notify the Director-General of Health when there is a health and safety risk for residents or a situation that could potentially put the health and safety of a person at risk.

“In the first six months of 2022 alone, there have been 1,875 Section 31 notices submitted to the Ministry of Health, including 987 nurse shortage notifications. This is a substantial increase from previous years.

“In 2021 there was 851 Section 31 notices submitted and only 260 in 2020.

“These notices are consistent with the reports of 800 aged care beds closing over the past 12 months due to a lack of nursing staff in aged care facilities.

“Andrew Little is failing at his core reasonability as Health Minister. He is ignoring the cries for nurses from hospitals and aged care facilities and still refuses to put nurses on the fast tracked Straight to Residence pathway.

“What more can the health sector do until the Government listens to their pleas?”