Aged care workforce initiatives and programs

This program provides Diploma of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing, and Master of Nursing (Graduate entry) students with high-quality clinical placements in the care and support sector.

We provide access to funding for community pharmacies and residential aged care homes to employ on-site pharmacists to work in residential aged care homes.

The Australian Government is delivering a payment to registered nurses who work for the same aged care employer for 6 or 12 months.

Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia is a new research centre funded to conduct research with aged care workers, providers, researchers and people who use aged care services. Findings will be used to create innovative solutions for the aged care sector to ensure best possible care.

The Aged Care Transition to Practice (ACTTP) program provides nurses with mentoring, training and support at the start of their career in aged care.

The Dementia Training Program offers a national approach to accredited education, upskilling, and professional development in dementia care.

The Elder Care Support program will build a workforce to help older First Nations people, their families and carers, to access aged care services to meet their physical and cultural needs.

We help the aged care sector to grow the home care workforce with targeted support for providers to recruit and retain home care workers. The Home Care Workforce Program ceased on 30 June 2024 to be replaced by a new program in early 2025.

The Hospital to Aged Care Dementia Support Program helps older people living with dementia transition from hospital into residential aged care or home with aged care support.

The National Dementia Action Plan 2024–2034 (the Action Plan) is Australia’s national dementia policy framework. It aims to improve the lives and care of people living with dementia, their carers and families over the next 10 years.

The Australian Government has developed a new Aged Care Act to strengthen Australia's aged care system. The new Act aims to ensure that people who access aged care services funded by the Australian Government are treated with respect and have the quality of life they deserve.

We fund a range of scholarship opportunities through the Australian College of Nursing including nursing, midwifery, aged care, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships. Preference is given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants.

The Palliative Aged Care Outcomes Program, or PACOP, is dedicated to improving the outcomes of all Australians in aged care homes with a particular focus on those who are approaching the end of their life.

Rural LAP provides locums so that rural health professionals can attend continuing professional development or take vacation leave. The program also funds GPs to do extra training so they can become rural locums.