After 21 years of obscurity regarding staffing and care, the aged-care community and workforce needs and deserves guaranteed clarity. A new bill in parliament (progressed to an inquiry) plans to make this happen.
There is strong support from community groups but strong opposition from an industry that is being criticised for poor staffing. Please get involved. Your future may depend on it.
In the absence of federal legislation specifying safe staffing levels or skills across Australia aged care, an inquiry has been established to provide greater transparency for families moving loved ones into residential care by making providers publish staff-to-resident ratios by job description on the Federal Government’s My Aged Care website.
This is a significant first step in addressing community concerns about staffing levels in nursing homes and providing much needed transparency. Please read the bill and then have your say.
The Aged Care Amendment (Staffing Ratio Disclosure) Bill 2018 aims to provide greater transparency for families moving loved ones into residential care by making providers publish staff-to-resident ratios by job description on the Federal Government’s MyAgedCare website. Check out the explanatory memorandum.
- Submissions should be sent to the Committee by no later than Thursday, 4 October 2018.
- If you are unable to meet the deadline, please contact the secretariat with an expected due date and alternative arrangements may be possible. The secretariat can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 02 6277 4145.
- The Committee would prefer it if submissions are uploaded electronically through the Committee Portal or failing that, via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. highlighting the Inquiry name and details.
Join nearly 250,000 Australians in petitioning for safe staffing in aged care.
Jane Seaholme started a Change.org petition which will be delivered to Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt later this year. It is calling on him to mandate staff-to-resident ratios for all aged care homes across Australia to "protect our elders, to keep them safe, respected and valued" and ensure adequate care.
It has collected (as at 14 Sep) more than 247,000 signatures and is aiming to reach 300,000. "What I see is a system that needs changing," Ms Seaholme said. "Overworked staff are stressed and undervalued."
Petition calls for mandated staff-to-resident ratios in nursing homes and aged care facilities, ABC News, 7 Sep 2018
Support the ANMF in their campaign to improve safe staffing in aged care:
ANMF Campaign: Ratios for Aged Care - Make Them Law Now
