Submission by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation

Through our work with members, we aim to strengthen the contribution of nursing and midwifery to improving Australia’s health and aged care systems, and the health of our national and global communities. [...] The introduction of a national approach and the removal of restrictive jurisdictional and organisational policies and legislation impacting nurses and midwives’ ability to work to their scope of practice would be welcomed as would the harmonisation in referral authority and review of the self-regulated and unregulated workforces. [...] The Professional Practice Framework (PPF) for nurses and midwives embodies the identity of the professions and provides the core requirements to practice and this should not be lost. [...] As discussed above, adopting a nationally consistent approach to healthcare, and removing jurisdictional and organisational policies and processes that restrict nurses, midwives, and other health professionals from working to their scope of practice would help to streamline the health system and reduce fragmentation of care. [...] Full connectivity would allow practitioners involved in the care of the person access to current and historical information that helps to tell the story of the person and their health and promote continuity of, and comprehensive care.