Good news for aged care residents, families and the staff who support them every day.
This week, the Aged Care Minister, Senator Richard Colbeck, released a consultation paper for a new registration scheme for aged care workers which the Government hopes to have in place as early as 2022 – just 18 months away.
The paper comes just three months after the Counsel Assisting team recommended such a scheme among 10 recommendations on the residential aged care workforce to the Aged Care Royal Commission.
The scheme would apply to all personal care workers across residential care, home care, flexible care, CHSP and NATSIFACP and would also include a Code of Conduct for workers, similar to the National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers and the NDIS Code of Conduct.
The paper is asking everyone – including aged care recipients, families and carers – to provide answers to an online survey or upload a written submission on what form the scheme should take and what areas it should address.
Professionalising aged care work
We think it is a welcome step forward in the professionalisation of the aged care workforce.
Aged care workers make up 3% of Australia’s total workforce, but there are still no direct requirements for personal care workers under the aged care legislation.
A register would make it easier for staff to move between sectors, employers and states as they change jobs and also reduce the amount of red tape for both staff and providers.
It would also give assurances to families and carers around the safety of older Australians receiving aged care services.
Most importantly, it would help staff to take pride in their jobs.
‘I work in aged care’
This week, we were speaking to a CEO of a provider in WA who had given all their staff badges saying ‘I work in aged care. I am an essential worker’ and encouraged to wear them at work and in the community during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It made staff feel a lot more confident in their roles,” he said. “Many still wear them today and are rightly proud of what they do.”
We imagine this scheme will go even further to ensure our aged care workers are valued and respected for the work that they do every day supporting our Mums and Dads.
You can have your say on the scheme here until 29 June 2020.
Discussion1 Comment
Hello, Im interested to know why cleaners in Aged care facilities will not be entitled to the workforce retention bonus , while cleaners in home care are. We are essential workers who work closely with the residents in Aged care.