List of Recommendations

Recommendation 1

2.66

The Committee recommends that the Aged Care Amendment (Staffing Ratio Disclosure) Bill 2018 be passed by the Parliament.

Recommendation 2

2.67

The Committee recommends that the Department of Health publish the staffing ratio data specified in the Bill in a form that allows consumers to consider resident acuity levels when comparing facilities.

Recommendation 3

2.68

The Committee recommends that, should the proposed Bill be passed, that for twelve months following the implementation of the Bill, the Department of Health monitor (and make legislation and other adjustments where necessary), the effectiveness of:

subsection 9-3C(4) with a view to whether there is a need to report on staffing ratios at night and on weekends; and

subsection 9-3C(9) with a view to whether this clause creates an unnecessary reporting burden, particular for smaller facilities.

Recommendation 4

2.69

The Committee reiterates the recommendation from its Report on the Inquiry into the Quality of Care in Residential Aged Care Facilities in Australia that: the National Aged Care Quality Indicator Program:

be made mandatory for providers of Australian Government-funded residential aged care services; and

be expanded to include a broader range of key indicators, to be determined with the involvement of the aged care sector and consumer groups.

Recommendation 5

3.55

The Committee reiterates the recommendation from its Report on the Inquiry into the Quality of Care in Residential Aged Care Facilities in Australia, which is that the Australian Government:

legislate to ensure that residential aged care facilities provide for a minimum of one Registered Nurse to be on site at all times; and

specifically monitor and report on the correlation between standards of care (including complaints and findings of elder abuse) and staffing mixes to guide further decisions in relation to staffing requirements.

Recommendation 6

3.56

The Committee recommends that, twelve months after implementation, the Australian Government review the effectiveness of publishing staffing ratios in improving transparency and consumer choice. This should include consideration of whether amendments are needed to the ten staffing categories outlined in subsection 9-3C(5).

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