Your Aged Care Update # 37/24
In this issue
Sector news
Increases to award wages for many aged care workers
From 1 January 2025, many people working in aged care will receive an increase to their award wage as part of the Fair Work Commission’s Aged Care Work Value Case Stage 3 decision, including:
assistants in nursing
personal care workers
home care workers
recreational activities officers
ancillary staff – such as administration staff, drivers, maintenance staff, gardeners, laundry hands, cleaners and food services assistants.
Some workers who are receiving larger increases will receive their increase in two parts – the first on 1 January 2025 and the second on 1 October 2025.
We are funding aged care providers to support these award wage increases.
On 11 September, the Fair Work Commission published changes to the Aged Care Award and Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award setting out the increases that will apply to different workers from 1 January 2025.
For more information, visit better and fairer wages for aged care workers.
More medicines available for 60-day prescriptions
Almost 300 medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) are now available for 60-day prescriptions.
This is helpful for people with a stable ongoing health condition. It means cost savings and less trips to the pharmacy. To check eligibility, aged care recipients need to talk to their health professional who can give an updated prescription based on their condition at the time.
The maximum number of repeats for 60-day prescriptions is the same as for the 30-day supply. This excludes anti-depressants. Prescriptions allowing 5 repeats may provide up to 12 months’ supply of medicine from one prescription.
Read more about cheaper medicines.
Webinar: New infection prevention and control guide
We are holding a webinar on the new Aged Care Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Guide for aged care providers.
The new IPC Guide outlines the basic principles of infection prevention and control and explains how to apply these principles using a risk-based approach in an aged care setting.
When: Thursday 3 October, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (AEST).
The webinar will cover how aged care homes can:
apply basic principles of infection prevention and control in aged care
minimise the risk of infection for older people and the workforce, by taking a risk-based approach
meet the requirements of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards
develop policies and procedures to support IPC in your organisation.
Register now.
For more information and to download the guide, visit Infection prevention and control in aged care.
Stolen Generations survivors can now apply for redress
Stolen Generation survivors are now aged 50 and over and are eligible for aged care services or may already be receiving care.
If you are an aged care provider supporting First Nations people who may be eligible for redress, we encourage you to share information on the Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme.
Stolen Generations survivors were removed as children from their families and/or communities. This redress scheme is for survivors from the Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory and the Jervis Bay Territory.
Applications close 28 February 2026.
More information:
Quarterly Financial Snapshot
The Quarterly Financial Snapshot for Quarter 3 2023–24 (1 January to 31 March) is now available.
It uses data submitted through the Quarterly Financial Report for sector level information on:
financial indicators
care minutes
labour costs, wages and hours
occupancy
food and nutrition.
Publication of this financial data is part of our commitment to increase transparency across the aged care sector.
A new data extract, including all key figures from the Quarterly Financial Snapshot is also available and will be updated quarterly.
Residential care
Enrolled nurses’ time to count towards care minutes
From 1 October, care minutes are increasing to a sector average of 215 minutes per resident per day, including 44 registered nurse (RN) minutes.
Aged care providers will also be able to use enrolled nurses (ENs) to provide up to 10% of RN care minutes. This will help increase EN employment opportunities and assist in meeting your care minute targets.
This does not change nurses’ responsibilities in your service. ENs will continue contributing to care outcomes under the delegation and supervision of an RN. Learn more about scope of practice for nurses.
There is also no change to the 24/7 RN responsibility or how you report nurse care time through the Quarterly Financial Report. EN direct care hours must be reported in the EN category.
Learn more about care minutes on our website.
Residents’ Experience Survey: Your turn to have a say
We invite aged care home staff to have their say on the Residents’ Experience Survey by completing the Residential Aged Care Home’s Staff Survey.
The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete.
Over 80% of the 2024 Residents’ Experience Survey round is complete. The staff survey is for you to give us feedback on what’s working well and what could be improved.
Thank you to everyone who has participated in the Residents’ Experience Survey.
Find out more about the Residents’ Experience Survey.
In-home care
Wellness and reablement reports available
Outcomes from the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) Wellness and reablement reports are now available.
CHSP providers are required to report on wellness and reablement approaches in their service delivery practices through an online report each year.
The results measure providers’ progress towards embedding wellness and reablement approaches.
They also help us to understand the impact of service delivery approaches and identify what is working well and common challenges.
If you have any questions, email WellnessAndReablement@health.gov.au.
Workforce
Consultation: Nursing Workforce Strategy
Public consultation on the draft National Nursing Workforce Strategy is now open.
Have your say by completing the survey or upload a written submission by 20 October.
The draft strategy reflects key issues, ideas and feedback received from 6,000 stakeholders.
We encourage you to share this update with your networks and stakeholders.
Find out more on the development of the National Nursing Workforce Strategy.
Webinar: How to become a specialist provider
The Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing (Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care Victoria) is holding a free webinar for aged care providers.
When: Monday 30 September, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm AEST.
The webinar will discuss how to become a culturally and linguistically diverse specialist provider under the national Specialisation Verification Framework.
Register now.
Making services culturally inclusive is a requirement of the Aged Care Quality Standards.
Watch recordings of previous webinars.