March 2025 Notes 

Aged care in Australia is undergoing significant reforms aimed at improving care and services for
older people.

Key changes include:
New Aged Care Quality Standards: Coming into effect from July 2025, these standards
emphasize consumer dignity, ongoing assessment, and personalized care.
The New Aged Care Act: This legislation introduces a person-centred approach to aged care,
a revised regulatory model, and will replace existing laws, such as the current Aged Care Act
and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018.
Royal Commission Recommendations: These reforms arise from the findings of the Royal
Commission into Aged Care, which highlighted the need for stronger standards, better
protections, and improved care delivery.

Impacts on Aged Care Providers
While the changes aim to enhance care, they also create significant challenges for aged care
providers:
Increased Compliance Requirements: Providers must adhere to new reporting and
compliance regulations, requiring investment in:
Technology: To streamline reporting and data management.
Staff Training: To meet the demands of the new standards and deliver tailored care.
Administrative Burden: Compliance with the new act demands more time and resources for:
Collecting, analysing, and reporting data to the Commonwealth government.
Hiring additional administrative staff to handle the increased workload.

Balancing Care and Administration
The reforms, while designed to improve aged care services, have unintended consequences:
Shift in Workforce Allocation: A higher proportion of staff may be dedicated to administrative
tasks rather than direct interaction with residents and families.
Financial Impact: Providers will need to allocate more funding to administration, potentially
reducing resources available for frontline care.

So, in some ways it appears that whilst the changes to aged care are about improving the lives of
residents and the care and support provided, it also means that the proportion of a providers staff
who do not directly interact with residents and their families will increase, which is in
contradiction to the purpose of the forth coming changes.