Overcoming the many decades of neglect in aged care will take time but it must be acknowledged that significant progress has been made.

On the eve of the last federal election, aged care was in acute crisis. Then decades of strong campaigning by aged care members began to reap rewards.

When introducing aged care as the ALP’s centrepiece policy at the last federal election, the then opposition leader Anthony Albanese described the dire state of the sector:

“We’ve all been chilled by the stories of unforgivable neglect. Maggots in wounds. People going for days without fresh air, a shower or a change of clothes. Stories of residents lying on the floor, crying out in pain, and nobody there to help them.”

The pillars of Labor’s 2022 federal election policy on aged care were:

• a registered nurse (RN) on-site and on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• a mandated 215 minutes of care per resident per day
•  funding real wage increases for aged care workers
•  ensuring accountability across the sector
• mandated standards for nutrition in nursing homes.

In an interview with The Lamp leading up to the 2022 election, Albanese made it clear that he recognised the key role of aged care workers in delivering the quality of care elderly Australians deserved.

“I have had the opportunity to meet many ANMF/NSWNMA members in the aged care sector. You are hardworking, dedicated and inspirational in your commitment to quality aged care,” he said.

“Labor appreciates you, but we don’t just want to say, ‘thank you’ – we will show our appreciation in a real way.”

A MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT IN WAGES

On assuming office, Labor moved quickly to kickstart the reforms recommended by the Royal Commission into Aged Care.

Significantly, it started with wages. It allocated $11.3 billion for a record 15 per cent pay increase that benefited more than 250,000 aged care workers.

The increase went to registered nurses (RNs), enrolled nurses (ENs), assistants in nursing (AiNs), personal care workers (PCWs), head chefs, cooks, recreational activities officers, and home care workers.

There were substantial pay rises for those on the award but also for those on EAs above award rates of pay.

In March 2024 the Fair Work Commission awarded Certificate 3 aged care workers a further 8 per cent wage increase (on top of the previously announced 15 per cent increase) as further recognition that this mostly female workforce has been historically undervalued.

This increase is also funded by the Albanese government.

This support from the federal government to fund these wage increases has resulted in pay rises of between 15 and 23 per cent for our members in aged care.

This unprecedented improvement has directly addressed the historical undervaluing of our work, and has directly reduced the gender pay gap, as women working in feminised industries like ours get these increases.

PUTTING NURSES BACK IN NURSING HOMES

Labor has also implemented other key promises from the last election in aged care:

Federal legislation to make residential aged care facilities roster registered nurses on duty 24/7 came into effect on 1 July 2023.

MANDATING CARE MINUTES AND IMPROVING ACCOUNTABILITY

Other improvements include the implementation of care minutes which started in October 2023. Additional increases in care minutes occurred in October 2024 from the initial 200 minutes (including 40 RN minutes) to 215 minutes, with an increase of RN minutes to 44 minutes.

There are provisions for ENs to make up to 10 per cent of these RN care minutes, to recognise their contributions and skill mix in aged care.

Significant progress has been made but more needs to be done by the federal government to ensure providers are complying with these mandated care minutes and not shortchanging residents on much needed care.

MANDATING STANDARDS FOR NUTRITION

The federal government, through the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC), has mandated specific standards for food and nutrition in residential aged care.

Key elements of the standards are nutritional adequacy, providing choices to residents, safe food handling, support for residents for eating and drinking as needed and a system for feedback and complaints.n