The residential aged care sector was achieving care minutes of 193.99 per resident per day as of 1 October 2023, the day that 200 direct care minutes became mandatory, the Minister for Aged Care and Sport Anika Wells said in a statement.
RNs delivered 36.78 minutes of care per resident per day, compared with the required 40 minutes.
“My department and I will continue to work closely with aged care homes, particularly those affected by workforce shortages, to support them to meet their care minutes targets,” the Minister said.
WORKFORCE CRISIS
The Aged Care and Community Providers Association (ACCPA) said that providers would be unlikely to meet the mandatory requirement while workforce shortages persist, particularly in regional, rural, and remote areas and RNs.
“There is clearly an issue here between legislative requirements and the reality on the ground,” said Chief Executive Officer Tom Symondson.
“Anecdotally, we’re hearing that the 15% pay rise is helping to both attract more workers into aged care and keep workers in aged care. Better pay is critical to solving our workforce problems. However, it is only one piece of the puzzle.
“We’ve been advocating for many possible workforce solutions across a range of areas including better access to education, improved access to housing for care staff particularly in rural areas, easier migration routes for overseas workers, and direct funding of targeted workforce programs for aged care.”
From 1 October 2024, mandatory care minutes will increase to an average of 215 minutes of care, including 44 minutes from a Registered Nurse.
The SOURCE: If providers are struggling now to meet the target, how will they cope next October?
