The Minister of Health David Cunliffe today announced an immediate $13 million injection to jump start the reform of the Aged Care Sector.

The $13 million dollars will be spent in 2008-2009 as follows:

• $5 million will flow through District Health Boards to top up provider budgets to 3.3 per cent.
• DHBs will be asked to pass this through to the workforce.
• A $4 million dollar investment by the country's DHBs in workforce development for the sector.
• A further $4 million dollar investment by the government for upskill staff in the sector to levels 2 and 3.

"I am confident that the District Health Boards will respond quickly to this initiative. I have made it clear to Health Board CEOs that I am looking for implementation without delay.

"These moves are part of a strategic change programme that will be spearheaded by the aged care sector."

Initiatives will include:

• Appropriate levels of qualifications for carers across the sector from registered nurses to gerontology nurse practitioners.
• A five year medium term programme to provide safe staffing levels encompassing these qualifications.
• The development of regulations to underpin these staffing requirements.

"I favour a staircased approach to workforce development that will see a five year plan leading to safer staffing levels. We will establish a Ministerial Aged Care Residential Working group to oversee this."

"The government will also be allocating $300,000 for the support and establishment of the Action Group. "

Mr Cunliffe said last year that government has committed to one of the largest investments in aged care funding with an additional $150 million over four years to residential care and another $81.2 million so elderly can stay in their own homes.