Around 6.4% of Australian residential aged care homes do not meet the 24/7 registered nurse (RN) requirement, according to new compliance data. In total, 165 homes are non-compliant, including 12 with approved exemptions and 40 that did not submit reports.
The figures help explain the difference between national claims of 99% RN coverage and actual provider compliance. Among homes that reported and were not exempt, RNs were on site and on duty for an average of 99.5% of reported hours. However, only 93.6% of all homes were recorded as compliant.
Introduced in July 2023, the requirement followed a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Eligible small homes in rural and remote areas can receive exemptions if they demonstrate that residents’ care needs continue to be met.
Recruitment remains difficult in rural and remote communities. At the same time, rising labour costs and financial pressures have led some providers to call for greater flexibility in mandatory staffing targets.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, however, is advocating stricter requirements, including daily compliance checks or mandatory staffing ratios.