Teacher assistants will be asked to perform high level medical procedures on students for just $11.80 extra in their pay under the Hodgman Liberal Government.
As teacher assistants face a real wage cut from the Liberal Government, Shadow Education Minister Michelle O’Byrne revealed the Liberal Government plans today in budget estimates.
In return for an $11.80 extra a week, teacher assistants will perform a range of extra high level procedures, including:
• Catheterisation
• Use of rectal Diazepam or Midazolam
• Injections of medication
• Use of gastronomy tubes
• Resuscitation
• Blood and urine testing
Ms O’Byrne said Labor supported efforts to keep students with complex needs in the classroom and had faith in the professionalism of teacher assistants.
But she said having teacher assistants paid a little more than $10 to perform significant medical procedures was out of line with school and community expectations and left schools and their employees in liability limbo.
“There are serious questions over the liability an individual teacher assistant, school principal or the department may face,” Ms O’Byrne said.
“Jeremy Rockliff would not answer whether he had sought legal advice on this Liberal policy.
“By doing this he risks exposing teacher assistants to significant liability.
“These are procedures that nurses assistants are not authorised to perform in hospitals yet under Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff, teacher assistants will.
“To offer teacher assistants $11.80 to perform medical procedures, a figure less than they would be paid anyway had Mr Rockliff’s Government not cut their pay, is an insult.”
Michelle O’Byrne MP Shadow Education Minister
