Preparing aged care for next year’s reforms: podcast

A researcher has raised concerns about the aged care sector's readiness to have mandated 24/7 nurses onsite and provide 200 care minutes per resident per day by the middle of 2023.

The UTS report into the care industry revealed last Friday that 4.7 per cent of aged care homes are currently on target to meet next year's staffing and care minute mandates.

Providers will have to deliver 200 care minutes per resident per day by October 2023 and round-the-clock registered nurses by July next year.

Dr Nicole Sutton estimates the sector needs at least 18,000 additional direct care workers, including 7,000 registered nurses, to comply with the new standards.

"We need solutions from both the government and providers because it's not going to be a quick fix," Sutton said.

Aged Care Insite spoke with Sutton about whether the sector will be ready next year to tackle the reforms and what providers can do to prepare.

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