AMA submission to the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport – Inquiry into the Aged Care Amendment (Staffing Ratio Disclosure) Bill 2018

The AMA made a submission to the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport Inquiry into the Aged Care Amendment (Staffing Ratio Disclosure) Bill 2018. The Bill aims to obligate residential aged care providers to publicly publish their staffing ratios to improve transparency and consumer choice.  

The AMA supported the principles behind the Bill, however, argued that further contextual data was needed to ensure consumers could compare ‘like with like’. This included the level of care needs in each residential aged care facility (RACF) and the ratios in different periods of the day. The AMA argued that while the Bill was a good first step, aged care needs mandatory minimum staff to resident ratios that reflects the level of care needs and ensure 24 hour registered nurse availability.