Exemption from the 24/7 RN requirement

If you have an eligible approved residential care home in a rural or remote area, you can apply to be exempt from the 24/7 registered nurse (RN) requirement. This gives you more time to increase your staffing to meet the requirement to have an RN onsite and on duty at all times.

About the exemption

We may grant an exemption from the 24/7 RN requirement to a registered provider for an eligible home for up to 12 months at a time. This means your exempt home doesn’t need to have an RN onsite and on duty at all times.

If you have an exemption for a home you must still:

Eligibility

To be eligible for an exemption your home must:

You must also:

Apply

To apply for an exemption, email us a completed application form.

24/7 RN supplement

If you have an exemption in place for a home at any point in a month you will not receive the 24/7 RN supplement for that month.

For example, if an exemption is in place for the first 2 days of the month, the 24/7 RN supplement will not be provided for that month, even if your home meets the other eligibility criteria for the supplement.

Change of circumstances

You must tell us of any change of circumstances that could impact your exemption. This includes:

  • an increase to the number of operational beds places to more than 30
  • any material changes to the alternative clinical care arrangements that would impact residents.

Revocation of an exemption

You can email us at any time and ask to revoke an exemption. The revocation will take effect shortly after the date of request. 

You may then be eligible to receive the 24/7 RN supplement for that home from the following calendar month.

We may also revoke an exemption for a home if you:

  • have more than 30 operational beds and no longer meet the eligibility criteria
  • breach a condition of the exemption
  • do not take reasonable steps to meet the clinical care needs of residents
  • receive a sanction from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

Learn more

For more information about exemptions see:

Contact

24/7 registered nurses exemption contact

Email us your completed application for a 24/7 registered nurse exemption, or for more information about the exemption.
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