DVA Community Nursing Program

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) provides entitled veterans and war widow/widowers (entitled persons) with access to a range of quality health care and related services, including community nursing services, at DVA’s expense.  DVA provides access to community nursing services to meet an entitled person’s assessed clinical and/or personal care needs in their own home under the DVA Community Nursing Program.

Aged Care Workforce Supplement and DVA providers 

The requirements of a new Aged Care Workforce Supplement, as part of the Living Longer Living Better Aged Care Reform package, were announced by the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing on Tuesday 5 March 2013.

The initiative will be delivered in two parts – through the Aged Care Workforce Compact and Supplement, and the Aged Care Workforce Development Plan which will be developed during 2013.

Between 1 July 2013 and 31 December 2013, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans’ Home Care and Community Nursing providers may be eligible for increased funding from the date pay rises to their staff take effect (so long as all other requirements have been met).  After 31 December 2013, the increased funding for eligible providers who have made a new application will commence from the date the application is received by the Department.

Veterans’ Home Care and Community Nursing providers must commit to using the Workforce Supplement for increased wages.  If a provider has an existing enterprise agreement in place as at 1 July 2013, then that enterprise agreement must be updated to be consistent with the terms and conditions of the Compact for the provider to be eligible for the payment.

All eligible providers will need to certify that they meet the terms and conditions of the Compact to apply for the Workforce Supplement.

A pack will be sent to providers over coming weeks including a brochure and fact-sheet.  Following that, guidelines will be sent to all employers, which will include details on the application process.

Enquiries should be directed to the workforcesupplement@health.gov.au email address.
Further information on the Workforce Supplement is available at www.livinglongerlivingbetter.gov.au.
Details about Government programs to support the aged care workforce are at www.health.gov.au/agedcareworkforce.

vetAWARE is now available online

Mental health is important for the veteran and ex-service community as mental health issues may arise from military experience. vetAWARE online is an engaging, interactive and user friendly veteran mental health training package designed specifically for Community Nurses.