Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

Establish regulations for minimum staffing levels for nurses and caregivers in
all residential facilities.
As Budgets allow, implement pay parity between staff working in residential
and home-based care with their equivalents in the public health system.
In July 2011, the Auditor General released a report entitled Home-based support services for
older people, which discusses how effectively the Ministry of Health and District Health
Boards are ensuring that older people get the care and support they need to remain living
independently at home.
The Technical Working Party set up by Labour will investigate the recommendations
from the Home-based support services for older people report, including:
Collecting meaningful and reliable information to ensure ongoing service
quality and value for money of home-based services.
Evaluating by 2013 whether the use of a standard approach to assessment
and reassessment is improving the way needs are assessed and homebased
services are allocated.
Considering the introduction of a mandatory standard for the provision of
home-based support services for older people.
Working collaboratively with others in the aged sector to develop a complaints
system.
Strengthening management contracts to ensure home-based support staff
provide high quality services and are well trained and supervised.
Labour will be proactive about policies to ensure that New Zealanders cope well with the
challenges of ageing and caring in the coming decades. We will work in close partnership
with the not for profit sector to support carers across the aged care sector.
The New Zealand Carers Strategy, published in April 2008 is supported by a Five-year
Action Plan to address some of the issues that impact on the thousands of New Zealanders
who assist friends and family members that need help with everyday living because of ill
health, disability or old age.
The Carers Strategy was developed in a partnership between government agencies and the
New Zealand Carers Alliance, a network of over 40 non-governmental organisations.
Labour plans to build on the New Zealand Carers Strategy to ensure the five year action
plan is being implemented and achieved.
For further information, see Labour‟s Aged Care policy.
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