The National Aged Care Survey was undertaken by the ANMF of staff working in residential and community aged care, to ascertain their concerns, experiences and views about working in the aged care sector.

The survey was completed by 2,775 staff working within the sector from all states and territories over March and April 2019. Key concerns emerged around adequate staffing levels and appropriate skills mix; qualifications and experience of staff; and the safety of residents and staff. Also emerging were concerns about funding, cost shifting, hospital transfers and palliative care.

Additionally, over 1000 respondents included stories about their experiences. Overall, the survey presents a bleak picture of aged care in Australia, describing systemic failure to ensure safe and quality care to aged care service users, and suggests an abrogation of duty by the government and aged care providers.

This survey follows up on a 2016 survey of staff and community members, which described conditions no different to those that are revealed in this 2019 survey. The ANMF hopes that this report will underpin and hasten the urgent actions needed to improve aged care in Australia.