Data for the October-December 2023 quarter, released this morning, reveals that only 805 aged care homes (32% of total homes) met both the mandatory 200 care minute target and the 40 Registered Nurses (RN) care minute target.
Just over half of homes (1,301 homes, 52%) met the mandatory 200 care minutes.
Fewer than half of homes (1,153 homes, 46%) met the 40 minute RN requirement.
From 1 October 2023, residential aged care homes have been required to deliver an average of 200 direct care minutes per resident per day, including 40 minutes of care by a registered nurse.
Aged care homes delivered an average of 201.9 care minutes per resident per day, including 38.76 by a registered nurse, during the quarter.
ENs delivered an average of 14.0 care minutes per resident per day during the quarter.
There are still 764 homes (31% of total homes) more than 10 minutes short of the 200 care minute target.
And 716 homes (29% of total homes) are more than 5 minutes from meeting the 40 minute RN requirement.
The Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells welcomed the data.
“We promised more carers with more time to care and that’s exactly what we are delivering – an additional 3.6 million additional care minutes every day across the sector," the Minister said in a statement.
From 1 October 2024, the Department of Health and Aged care will increase to a sector-wide average of 215 care minutes per resident per day, including 44 minutes of direct care by an RN.
