Clinical staff shortages mean aged care beds are going empty, says Russell Egan, CEO of family-owned Brisbane-based aged care provider Superior Care Group.
"Registered nursing shortages are definitely still impacting our homes," Russell told The SOURCE. "There is a desperate shortage of skilled clinical management level candidates."
Health care and social support job vacancies and ads are the highest of any industry. Between 30,000 and 35,000 additional direct aged care workers a year are already needed. By 2030 the shortfall is likely to be 110,000 full time equivalent workers.
Superior Care Group, which operates aged care homes Wellington Park, in Brisbane's south east, and Merrimac Park, on the Gold Coast, is often at 98% occupancy.
CEO Superior Care Group
"In the current market, there is very strong demand," Russell said.
At times vacancies rise up to 15% as the provider struggles to find clinical staff, despite ongoing demand for beds.
"If you cannot do the raft of assessments upon arrival, you can't prepare their care plans. So without all of your clinical management in place, you have to slow down your intake," he told The SOURCE.
Non-supported residents
Another factor driving vacancies higher, despite the tight market, is strong demand for places from supported residents. Accommodation revenue for a supported resident is $62 per day, compared with $125 per day for a self-funded resident.
"Providers will be making decisions on [which] residents to take based on their financing requirements and if there aren't suitable rate payers available, they're going to potentially wait to find other more suitable residents," Russell said.
Russell said that if changes recommended by the Aged Care Taskforce are accepted and non-supported consumers pay more for their aged care, he would like to see the Government match the increase in funding for supported residents.
"If the government is about to increase user pays fees by $50 per day (as is reported) then it will need to make at a minimum the same increase to supported resident supplements," he said.
Agency staff set to increase
As for the incoming increase in care minutes from 1 October, Russell said it compounds the staffing challenge.
"We are already recruiting to meet the existing mandate, so this will place further demand on agency staffing nationally.
"It is a transfer of taxpayer funds directly to agency labour companies."
