After the numerous inquiries, reviews, and a Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, we now have a federal government that is committed to bringing security, dignity and humanity back into our ailing aged care sector.

The passage of the Aged Care Amendment Bill (Implementing Care Reform) 2022, through federal parliament was a historic moment for the aged care sector.

In Aged Care Minister Hon Anika Wells’s recent speech she acknowledged that “it is the aged care workforce who are this sector’s beating heart and without workers, the discussions of care minutes, of improved systems, of returning security and dignity to aged care means little …”

Aged care reform has finally begun with a new funding model, the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC); a new code of conduct for approved providers and aged care workers; star ratings for all residential aged care services; mandating a registered nurse in every aged care facility on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and an average of 215 minutes of care for aged care residents per day; a pay rise for aged care workers; and improved transparency and accountability for how government funding is spent to deliver care and services for older Australians.

Moreover, the federal government has committed to fund the outcome of the Fair Work Commission’s review of pay case for aged care workers. The Fair Work Commission has just announced its stage one ruling on the aged care work value case, awarding residential and home care workers who provide direct care a 15 per cent pay rise.

It found that “the existing minimum rates do not properly compensate employees for their work and that the bargaining system has completely failed aged care workers and it’s only by taking protracted court action that aged care workers have received some measure of justice.” I commend the federal government for committing to overhauling the aged care system – a brave, ambitious move that will improve the lives of many aged care residents, their family members and our aged care workers. There is still a lot of work to do, but this is a good beginning.

Jocelyn Hofman, RN