Information the Department of Health and Aged Care provided to Coalition Senator Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Aged Care, prior to last week's Budget Estimates showed the aged care sector is estimated to be short 1,490 RNs in 2024-25.
Shadow Minister for Aged Care
The figure is significantly lower than the 4,043 estimate the Department itself supplied only six months ago, in May 2024.
During Budget Estimates, Senator Ruston asked, "Where have you found 2,553 RNs in the last six months?"
Stephanie Kaiser, the Department's Assistant Secretary Market and Workforce Division, said the number is based on the 2023 worker survey, whereas the previous figure was based on 2020 data.
"The previous modelling that we provided in May was based on the baseline supply, which came from our 2020 aged care workforce census," she said.
The modelling has also been updated to reflect forecasts from the increased supply of workers due to the Aged Care Work Value Case, which is estimated to bring 10,000 workers to the sector annually.
"It is likely that the gap was actually smaller back in May," Stephanie said.
Workforce is one of the most significant challenges the aged care sector is facing, particularly in regional areas, where aged care homes are sometimes spending millions each year on agency staff to meet mandatory 24/7 RN and care minute targets. Agency RNs cost an estimated $128 per hour, compared with $85 per hour for internal RNs.
