NURSING AND MIDWIFERY STUDENTS
731. Hon WILSON TUCKER to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I
refer the minister to the Victorian government's plan to provide free
education and training to more than 10 000 nursing and midwifery students. Will the government follow
Victoria's lead and implement a similar scheme in Western Australia?
Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
The McGowan government is looking
at a range of measures to encourage more people into nursing, which complements
the successful Lower Fees, Local Skills program that is helping thousands of Western
Australians to get into affordable training. Former nurses who want to
re-register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia by completing a three-month
intensive re-entry course will have the cost of the course covered by the state
government on completion of the program. The WA Department of Health has also
reached out to recently retired midwives to encourage them back into the
profession with generous incentives, including more flexible working
arrangements, and travel, meal and accommodation expenses covered.