In March 2021, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended the Australian Government introduce mandatory minimum staffing standards to improve the quality and safety of residential aged care (Recommendation 86). The Royal Commission recommended that a minimum standard be set for the amount of time an average resident would receive direct care (care minutes) each day, and that a registered nurse (RN) be onsite and on duty for a prescribed number of hours each day.

The Australian Government has identified that aged care providers face challenges in attracting sufficient RNs and other aged care staff, particularly in rural and remote settings. This audit provides early assurance to the Australian Parliament over whether the Department of Health and Aged Care and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission have effectively supported the design and early implementation of Recommendation 86.

Key findings:

• The design and early implementation of the Australian Government’s response to Recommendation 86 of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was largely effective.
• The department provided largely robust policy advice on residential aged care reforms in response to Recommendation 86. Advice was informed by workforce data and modelling, and conveyed some costs, benefits and risks of the proposed policies. However, established Australian Government mechanisms for analysing the costs, benefits and risks of policy options were not fully utilised.
• The department’s introduction of the new workforce requirements was largely effective. As at October 2023 the department’s implementation of the requirements through operational arrangements, legislation and IT systems was largely consistent with the government’s policy intent.