There have been plenty of headlines this week as staff at two of Bupa’s aged care homes stopped work over pay and nursing roles.
While Bupa has promised that the health of residents won’t be affected by the industrial action, the media coverage has again highlighted the issues of wages and staffing mix in aged care.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Foundation has been vocal on the issue, calling out operators for being unfair to staff.
But few consumers are aware of the challenges facing providers.
As we covered here, staff wages are the biggest cost for both not-for-profit and private operators, accounting for 60 per cent of budgets.
NDIS attracting aged care workers
Providers are already finding it hard to attract staff, particularly in regional and remote areas, while the new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is luring many workers over to the better-paid disability sector.
The ANMF wants aged care facilities to have a skills mix of 30 per cent Registered Nurses (RNs), 20 per cent Enrolled Nurses (ENs) and 50 per cent Assistants in Nursing (AiNs) and Personal Care Workers (PCWs).
Currently the rate of PCWs is around 70 per cent and there is no mandated ratio for aged care staff. However facilities are required under federal legislation to have an “appropriate level” of staff and care.
Clearly we do need more aged care staff, especially as our population continues to age.
But introducing regulations for minimum staffing won’t solve the problem of where providers find the funding to support these ratios.
The Federal Government is currently reviewing aged care staffing levels. Let’s hope they realise they need to put their money where their mouth is.
Discussion1 Comment
As well as care duties, the meal service is also central to care. With more residents eating in their room and requiring assistance, this adds another layer of complexity and time that may not always be considered.