Workforce initiatives
If you are having difficulty meeting your care minutes targets due to staffing issues, we have programs in place to build, train and support the aged care nursing workforce, including:
- Rural Locum Assistance Program (LAP) to help attract and retain additional nurses and aged care workers to your facility, and providing access to a locum workforce while you recruit
- Aged Care Transition to Practice Program to support and train registered and enrolled nurses in their first year working in aged care
- Aged Care Nursing Clinical Placements Program to play an important role in raising nursing students’ awareness of the diverse and rewarding career opportunities in aged care
- Nursing and Allied Health Scholarships Program to increase the skills of aged care nurses, personal care workers and allied health professionals
- Aged Care Registered Nurses’ Payment to attract and retain registered nurses through reward payments for clinical skills and leadership.
See more information about workforce programs.
We encourage you to use employer-sponsored visa programs to access direct care staff from overseas where there is evidence of genuine local labour shortages.
Financial viability and capability support
We deliver financial viability and capability support programs for eligible providers in thin markets who are experiencing financial viability challenges. These include:
- the Remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Service Development Assistance Panel, which offers free professional support to providers:
- in rural and remote areas (MM 5 to 7)
- who provide care to First Nations people nationally.
- the Business and Workforce Advisory Service program, where providers can apply for free, independent and confidential advice to review their operations and gain advice on business management, financial strategies and workforce challenges.
Support from state and territory offices
Our State and Territory Office Network provides locally responsive engagement to understand the issues that influence the delivery of aged care and to help build the capacity and capability of providers.
Find your local state/territory office to speak with someone for further support and assistance to improve your delivery of the care minutes responsibility.
Additional resources
Our Care time reporting assessment – model pack can help guide you when submitting information and documents for a care time reporting assessment. It contains examples of calculations and workings for information and documents commonly requested.