The average monthly salary of certified nurse assistants is only NT$31,417 following the implementation of a new long-term care payment system earlier this year, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said yesterday, but added that he is confident that it would increase within six months.
In November last year, Chen told the Legislative Yuan’s Economic and Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee that the Ministry of Health and Welfare would take measures this year to increase the minimum monthly salary of professional caregivers to NT$32,000 as an incentive for them to remain in their jobs.
At a meeting of the committee in Taipei yesterday, Chen said that the average monthly salary of certified nurse assistants in January was NT$31,417, falling short of the goal, but added that the ministry would continue efforts to achieve the goal this year.
Several lawmakers said many certified nurse assistants have complained that they now earn even less than they did before the new payment system was implemented in January, which changed a time-based pricing mechanism to one based on services provided.
How nursing homes, hospitals, adult daycare centers and assisted living facilities split care service income with certified nurse assistants can substantially affect their salaries, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Man-li (陳曼麗) said.
DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) cited the case of a part-time caregiver who receives 50 percent of the cost of a service provided — such as earning NT$130 for a bath that costs NT$260 — meaning that she worked more hours, but earned less per month than last year.
A survey of 9,421 certified nurse assistants found that 24 percent worked part-time and were paid on a split proceed model, Chen Shih-chung said, but added that the ministry would investigate such cases and increase the number of facility evaluations to discern whether salaries paid to part-time caregivers are reasonable.
The new payment system has only been in use for a few months, so long-term care facilities might not yet be accustomed to it, he said, adding that the ministry would continue to supervise and communicate with the facilities and work to raise monthly salaries to at least NT$32,000.
Separately at the meeting, Chen Shih-chung said that there is a small possibility of Taiwan receiving a formal invitation from the WHO to attend this year’s World Health Assembly, due to the difficult cross-strait conditions the nation is facing, but added that the ministry would not easily give up on attending the meeting.
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