Inquiry into EEO issues in the Aged Care sector
Coming soon: Aged Care Inquiry report
The draft report of the Inquiry into Equal Employment Opportunities in the Aged Care Sector in New Zealand will be circulated later this month to the over 700 New Zealanders who participated.
The Human Rights Commission is seeking comment on the accuracy of the information and evidence collected before making the report public.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the interest in the inquiry from carers, older people they care for, nurses, doctors, residential aged care providers, home health care providers, government agencies, trade unions and other peak bodies working in aged care. Grey Power has also helped us hold meetings throughout New Zealand,” says Dr Judy McGregor, Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Commissioner.
The draft report will be sent back to all those interviewed, those who made written submissions, and those who answered on-line questionnaires for comment on the accuracy of the material provided.
The report is structured against issues such as wages and pay parity, training, conditions of work, regulatory frameworks, men as carers and migrant workers among others. These issues were identified in the Terms of Reference and the accompanying scoping diagram.
While the substance of the draft report is out for feedback from the participants, the EEO Commissioner and staff will be working on the recommendations that the Human Rights Commission will advocate for.
“We will be asking participants who receive the draft report to treat it as confidential so that we can make changes necessary for accuracy before it is released to the public. Given the amazing goodwill surrounding the Inquiry I know that the participants will honour this process”, Dr McGregor said.
Respect and dignity linked to decent pay in aged care sector
7 November 2011
Many of the 600 New Zealanders who have spoken up about equal employment opportunities in the aged care sector have linked the respect and dignity of older people to the payment of their carers.
EEO Commissioner Dr Judy McGregor says that older people receiving care that the Commission has spoken to are often deeply embarrassed at the poor, and often minimum wages, received by those who come into their homes or care for them in residential facilities.
One carer wrote,” many clients are aware of the abysmal wages and conditions of support workers and are deeply embarrassed by the situation. It is an awful predicament for them to be in. By the Government and provider organisations failing to provide adequate mileage and a living wage to support workers, they are also disrespecting older people”.
Dr McGregor said, “the low value, both in terms of prestige and financially, of caring work is a major message we are hearing as we travel throughout New Zealand. Older people receiving care are saying that this demeans them as well.”
The Human Rights Commission’s inquiry which is underway at present has seen the Commissioner and staff visit residential aged care facilities, hold public meetings and face to face meetings with aged care providers, District Health Boards, nurses, geriatricians, unions, carers, managers and community groups.
The Commission has made regional visits to Auckland, Warkworth, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatane, Nelson, Christchurch, Rangiora, Invercargill, Dunedin and Southland so far and will be again visiting Auckland and undertaking work in Wellington and on the Kapiti Coast in coming months.
“We’ve held some very big public meetings with older people that have been organised by Grey Power. Over 100 people turned up in Rangiora and a University of the Third Age (U3A) meeting in Rotorua attracted about 80 people.” The Commission is also receiving electronic submissions on its website through questionnaire and by email and has a number of written submissions from throughout New Zealand.
Have Your Say:
The Human Rights Commission wants to hear your views about the EEO issues in the aged care sector. You can:
•complete the online form
•send us an email submission
•write to us: The EEO Commissioner, Human Rights Commission, PO Box 12411, Thorndon, Wellington 6144
You can also email emilias@hrc.co.nz if you would like hard copies of the survey forms mailed to you.
Concern over low wages in aged care sector
20 September 2011
Some of the lowest paid workers in New Zealand, mostly female carers in the aged care sector, are turning up at public meetings to have their say in a New Zealand Human Rights Commission Inquiry.
The Inquiry into the Equal Employment Opportunities Issues in the Aged Care Sector is currently underway and in the next six months regional visits to Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and Southland will be undertaken so interested members of the public can have their say.
The Commission is holding public and face-to-face meetings, visiting facilities, speaking with providers and DHBs and talking with as many people as possible who are interested in the sector-whether it be residential or home-based care.
”We want to hear the views of nurses and carers, GPs, those receiving care as well as the views of DHBs, employers, managers and anyone who has an interest in improving conditions in the sector,” says Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, Dr Judy McGregor.
“We’ve had some very lively public meetings with carers telling members of the public just how important their job is and how they feel about their pay and working conditions.”
Greypower is involved in helping the Commission hold public meetings to talk with people receiving care and their families and numbers of residential facility owners and health care assistants have also attended these public meetings.
Good practice and new innovative models of aged care are being looked at and will be reported in the inquiry, including responses to Christchurch’s earthquakes.
The Commission is also asking for written submissions until December 31, 2011, and has an electronic submission process at http://www.neon.org.nz/agedcareinquiry/ or emails can be sent to emilias@hrc.co.nz
The Inquiry’s Terms of Reference include:
• The regulatory frameworks in the aged care sector
• Workforce supply issues, including recruitment and retention
• Training and qualifications
• Conditions of work, including staff to resident ratios and managerial competence
• Wages of nurses, health care assistants and others in the aged care sectors, and equal pay, pay parity and pay equity issues
• The role of men and women working in the aged care sector
• Equal employment opportunities and migrant workers
• Other equal employment opportunities issues
People can speak to the Inquiry confidentially if they wish and the information is collected and written up so that people can talk safely without being individually identified.
Commission begins inquiry into EEO issues in aged care sector
9 August 2011
The Human Rights Commission will begin a major inquiry into equal employment opportunity issues in the aged care sector with a visit to the Waikato this week (10-12 August).Formally called the Inquiry into Equal Employment Opportunities in the Aged Care sector in New Zealand, the inquiry team will consider workforce issues raised by employees and employers in the aged care sector.
Led by Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Dr Judy McGregor, the inquiry team will begin its work in Hamilton followed up with a schedule of meetings and visits throughout the country over the next four months. There will also be opportunities for members of the public to make submissions online and in writing for those who are unable to attend public meetings.
Dr McGregor said the Commission’s National Conversation about Work project in 2010 had alerted her to public concern. “People throughout New Zealand told the Commission they were concerned about staff shortages, work conditions, low pay and lack of training opportunities and qualifications, experienced by some staff, including migrant carers and nurses.”
Dr McGregor said, “Like much of the western world New Zealand’s population is rapidly ageing. Decent work and fair workplaces are critical to ensuring care that provides dignity and respect for older New Zealanders. Properly valuing the carer workforce should be a priority.”
The Inquiry will focus on eight specific areas, including the regulatory frameworks in the aged care sector and their impact on equal employment opportunities, recruitment and retention, training and qualifications, work conditions, low pay, parity and pay equity, the role of men as carers and migrant workers.
Following engagement with the aged care sector, the Commission will consider whether it needs to recommend changes to legislation, policies and codes of practice and whether equal employment opportunities in the aged care sector would be improved by clear and agreed benchmarks.
Download:
- The Terms of Reference for the Inquiry
- View the initial scoping diagram of the likely issues to be covered by the Inquiry
- Check out our regional engagement dates