Gilmore Aaron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeGilmore Aaron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 24 September 2013. Volume:693;Page:13604. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.PAUL FOSTER-BELL (National) to theAssociate Minister of Health: What initiatives has she announced to showcase aged care nursing?Hon JO GOODHEW (Associate Minister of Health): The Minister of Health and I have launched Showcasing Aged-care Nursing an online resource and video series showcasing new initiatives and innovative approaches to better support nurses caring for older New Zealanders. A key focus has been to upskill our dedicated aged-care registered nurses. This includes a new hot line to clinical experts for nurses in Counties Manukau and regular face-to-face time with specialists across a number of district health boards. There has also been a push to build better relationships between hospital-based staff and those in aged residential care facilities.Paul Foster-Bell: What initiatives are in place to support nurses taking up a career in aged-care nursing?Hon JO GOODHEW: In 2011 aged care was added to the hard-to-staff specialty list for nurses on the Voluntary Bonding Scheme. I am delighted to say that—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! The level of noise is unacceptable. I invite the Minister to start her answer again.Hon JO GOODHEW: In 2011 aged care was added to the hard-to-staff speciality list for nurses on the Voluntary Bonding Scheme. I am delighted to say that in 2013 21 percent—that is 59 out of 281—of the nursing graduates who enrolled in the scheme were either currently working or intending to work in the aged-care sector. But the Government has also been supporting training for nurses working in aged care. Since 2011 736 nurses working in aged-care clinical service areas have undertaken either postgraduate or nursing entry to practice training funded by Health Workforce New Zealand—736.Hon Annette King: Having showcased aged-care nursing is she prepared to require mandatory staffing levels in aged-care facilities as recommended by the 2012Caring Counts report from the Human Rights Commission to ensure that nurses working in aged-care facilities are not expected to work longer hours than is safe?Hon JO GOODHEW: The answer to that question is that there has for a long time been debate over whether the member’s suggestion would in fact improve the quality of the standard of care in aged residential care. In fact this Government has made changes that really do ensure that the quality improves like the spot audits that were introduced third-party accreditation of aged residential care auditors—Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked a very specific question: was she prepared—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! I invite the member to ask her question. If she could just start straight with the question instead of the bit at the beginning that would be helpful.Hon Annette King: Is she prepared to require mandatory staffing levels in aged-care facilities as recommended in the 2012 report—the most recent report—from the Human Rights Commission to ensure that nurses are not expected to work longer hours than is safe?Hon JO GOODHEW: Like the member asking the question this Government does not believe that that particular initiative would get the results that the member has suggested it would get.