Minister replies to ACAA
Justine Elliot has told a peak industry body to look at ways to pay staff better wages.
The Minister for Ageing has written a reply to a peak industry body, defending the government’s efforts to improve the aged care workforce
Justine Elliot was writing in response to a letter from Aged Care Association earlier this year which expressed concerns about the minister’s “constant criticism” of the industry.
Mrs Elliot said that the Commonwealth will provide over $40 billion to the industry over the next four years, adding that the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) introduced in March this year, “enables the industry to pay adequate wages to staff”.
“This increased level of funding will enable care providers to deliver quality aged care, which is important to the motivation and wellbeing of staff,” the letter said.
But a recent sample survey of ACFI claims has raised some concerns about the new funding tool.
The Aged & Community Services Association of NSW & ACT (ACS) survey was based on the ACFI data of 699 residents in 99 member facilities.
Of the 621 residents who were admitted before 20 March, 360 stayed on the RCS saved subsidy rate and 261 moved across to the ACFI.
The ACS analysis revealed that 58 per cent of the 360 ‘grandparented’ residents would have attracted less funding if the ‘grandparenting’ provisions had not been in place.
However, the association urged caution in assessing these findings as all the ACFI claims are yet to be validated.
In a move which at least one source interpreted as confrontational, the minister also raised concerns from an independent audit by the Workplace Ombudsman which found that 21 per cent of facilities were found to be in breach of the Workplace Relations Act.
“Breaches related to rates of pay, hours worked but not paid, time and wage records and non-conforming pay slips,” Mrs Elliot’s letter said.
The minister sought the association’s support in “stamping out” these practices from the industry.
“”I am sure you would agree with me that it is totally unacceptable for employers to behave in this way,” the letter said.
“I am advised that the employers concerned will be reimbursing wages to these workers.”
In her conclusion, Mrs Elliot pointed to the example of Queensland provider Blue Care, which gave its nurses an 18 per cent pay rise, earlier this year.
“I urge your organisation to look at this agreement as it is a demonstration of the capacity of one of Queensland’s largest aged care providers to meet a significant part of its workforce challenge,” the letter said.
