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Australian Health Review Australian Health Review Society
Journal of the Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Royal Commission into Aged Care recommendations on minimum staff time standard for nursing homes

Micah D. J. Peters https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1108-3783 A B D , Casey Marnie A B and Annie Butler C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A National Policy Research Unit (Federal Office), Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

B University of South Australia, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre, Adelaide, SA, Australia. Email: casey.marnie@unisa.edu.au

C Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Federal Office), Melbourne, Vic., Australia. Email: fedsec@anmf.org.au

D Corresponding author. Email: micah.peters@unisa.edu.au

Australian Health Review 46(4) 388-390 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH21283
Submitted: 6 September 2021  Accepted: 14 September 2021   Published: 9 November 2021

Abstract

The Royal Commission’s recommendation for nursing home minimum time standards and the Australian Government’s response do not support best practice resident care. We recommend that higher mandated minimum staffing levels and skills mix should be phased in by mid-2026.

What is known about the topic? The Australian Government has not committed to fully implementing the Commission’s recommendations for mandated minimum staff time standards.

What does this paper add? We highlight issues with the Commission’s recommendations and the Australian Government’s response where they do not support sufficient minimum time to provide best practice care.

What are the implications for practitioners? Mandated evidence-based minimum staffing levels and skills mix should be phased in by mid-2026 to support best practice care.


References

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