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The NT Nursing Certified Agreement Taskforce (NCAT) was formed as a result of the certification of the nurses enterprise agreement in February 2004. The Taskforce is a unique collaborative arrangement between the Department of Health and Families (DHF) and the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) NT Branch.
The Taskforce aims to address a range of important industrial and professional nursing matters identified in the NT Public Sector Nurses Certified Agreement 2003-2006 but not resolved during the negotiation period. In past Agreements, working parties were given the responsibility for progressing nursing projects of major significance. This posed a range of problems, including constraints on active participation due to the demands of participants’ primary employment.
The Nursing Taskforce comprises a number of project officers working on the range of projects from July 2004 to June 2006. The Taskforce is located within the Workforce Strategy & Clinical Learning Branch of DHF.
An Executive Steering Committee includes DHF and ANF representatives and governs the Taskforce. The Taskforce is also guided by national projects such as the National Nursing and Nursing Education Taskforce (N3ET).
Some of the major projects addressed by the Taskforce include:
- Introduction of the role of Nurse Practitioner
- Reviewing the possibility of an expanded Scope of Practice for Enrolled Nurses
- Identifying mechanisms to improve nursing workloads and staffing levels
- Reviewing Bed Management at major NT hospitals
- Reviewing Clinical Nurse Managers Administration Hours
- Reviewing employment conditions for remote area nurses
- Professional development matters for nurses and midwives
- Nursing Career Pathways development
Nursing Career Pathways
In November 2002, a revised Nurses Career Structure (NCS) was implemented in DHCS. The NCS included:
- A new NCS model providing a career pathway for Enrolled and Registered Nurses in the Northern Territory
- A structured Graduate Nurse Program to support new Enrolled and Registered Graduate Nurses entering the workforce
- An Exemplary Practice Scheme to reward base grade nurses providing exemplary practice in the clinical setting
- A Work Evaluation System to determine the work value and level of promotional nursing positions in the NCS model
In the Certified Agreement, a commitment was made by DHF to undertake a joint review with the ANF, through a Nursing Certified Agreement Taskforce, to address issues related to the Exemplary Practice Scheme and the Nurse Work Evaluation System.
In addition a further commitment was made to conduct a review to resolve specific issues related to the NCS model and the initial translation of positions across to the new model. Due to the overlapping nature of these issues, a separate Project Consultant was seconded to coordinate all project activities related to the NCS. This project commenced in September 2004 and remains in progress.
Contact the NT Nursing Certified Agreement Taskforce on (08) 8922 7539.
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