Aged care workers have delivered a damning verdict about the real situation facing aged care residents inside aged care facilities.

Using their own star ratings system, 1000 reports of aged care workers have highlighted dangerously low staffing levels they are witnessing.

More than 82% rated their aged care facilities as only one or two stars out of five on staffing, in findings contained in the Aged Care Watch Quality Snapshot released today.

The verdict of aged care workers differs sharply from the self reporting of staffing levels made by aged care providers, where the most recent average rating is three stars or an “acceptable” level of staffing across the whole sector.

However the 1000 reports from aged care workers, at an average of 1.8 stars on staffing, sits well below the Federal Government’s rating of acceptable levels of staffing.

The low ratings across more than 200 facilities in every state and territory in Australia indicate fundamental issues in providers meeting 215 minute-a-day care-time minute targets set by the Federal Government.

Care-time minute targets are a key reform recommended by the Aged Care Royal Commission to address the neglect of residents occurring through rampant understaffing.

The findings in today’s report were obtained through Safe Staffing reports filed by aged care workers since mid April through United Workers Union’s online transparency tool, Aged Care Watch.

Using the online tool, aged care workers have delivered insights that would be otherwise hidden to the public, providing clear signs providers are exaggerating their performance when reporting care-time minutes.

Today’s report also reveals providers regularly passing off non-direct care work – previously the domain of laundry, cleaning and catering staff – to direct care workers in apparent attempts to “cook the books” on care-time minute reporting that only covers direct care.

“Stark differences between aged care workers and providers underline United Workers Union’s consistent position that workers’ views should be an essential part of the accountability for delivering these essential reforms,” Catalina Gonzalez, Aged Care Director of United Workers Union, said today.

“The reports reveal a huge gulf in care-time between what aged care workers are reporting on the ground and what providers say they are delivering.

“We have seen this movie before, and it doesn’t end well for aged care residents and aged care workers. Providers must be held accountable for delivering the care-time aged care residents need.”

Background:

Aged care workers are asked in the Aged Care Watch Safe Staffing report to rate staffing levels on a one-to-five scale using the following criteria:

  • 1 star – multiple unfilled shifts, unable to complete care work.
  • 2 star – one or more unfilled shifts, some care work incomplete.
  • 3 star – all shifts filled, rushed, didn’t get to all work.
  • 4 star – all shifts filled, rushed, got through all work.
  • 5 star – all shifts filled, enough time to do all work.

Headline findings in the Aged Care Watch Quality Snapshot: 

  • Since Safe Staffing reports were launched in mid-April there have been: 
  • 1060 safe staffing reports made; 
  • 232 aged care facilities; 
  • 121 aged care providers; 
  • Reports have been made from every state and territory. 
  • 82% of reports are below the 3 star rating.
  • 1067 unfilled shifts have been reported.
  • 85% of respondents said they are rushing to complete work.
  • 60% of respondents said they are being asked to do work outside their role, with staff reporting work outside their role taking up the following percentages  of their time:
  • 10-20% – 134
  • 21-30% – 134
  • 31-40% – 129
  • 41-50% – 67
  • 50%+ – 85
  • 492 respondents – just under half, including Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses and Personal Care Workers – were required to do non-direct care work.
  • 610 respondents indicated residents were not receiving their minimum level of care time
  • Only 202 indicated residents were receiving their minimum care time.