Providers want more transition support
Almost four in five aged care leaders who responded to a recent Mirus Australia survey say they feel only somewhat prepared for the 1 July sector reforms.
With the new aged care reforms coming into effect in just six weeks, aged care technology and advisory firm Mirus Australia has found only 8 per cent of providers are feeling confident in their preparations.
The poll – conducted in the lead up to Mirus Australia’s Stronger Standards, New Rules webinar – drew 428 respondents from 290 aged care organisations.
The majority of respondents – 79 per cent – indicated they feel somewhat prepared. But 9 per cent said they do not feel ready for the incoming changes, and 4 per cent said they feel unsure.
The figures show that while providers are taking steps toward reform readiness, there remains a significant gap in confidence, said Mirus Australia founder Robert Covino.
“We weren’t surprised to see that the majority of providers feel only somewhat prepared – it’s exactly what we’re hearing on the ground. The scale and pace of the reforms are significant, and it’s clear that translating policy into operational reality remains the biggest hurdle. Providers are looking for clearer guidance, practical tools, and the confidence that the rules won’t keep shifting,” Mr Covino told Australian Ageing Agenda.
Providers were also asked what support would be the most valuable, with responses indicating a strong preference for actionable, provider-focused solutions.
Close to half – 45 per cent – indicated practical tools and training for leadership teams as something that would help them feel more ready while 29 per cent said they wanted more government guidance and sector-wide collaboration.
Another 19 per cent of respondents choses greater financial and operational planning resources and 7 per cent asked for peer insights and case studies from other providers.
Mirus Australia head of quality and compliance Katie Airey said the results emphasised the urgency of needing to invest in leadership capability across the sector.
“Workforce capability is emerging as a make-or-break factor in the success of these reforms. Leadership teams need more than information – they need tools, training, and shared insights to support their people through this change. The new standards demand a whole-of-organisation response,” she said.
Providers doubtful reform will boost quality
Another factor that will impact the transition process is providers remaining largely unconvinced the reforms will see aged care quality measurably improve, with fewer than one in five respondents – 19 per cent – agreeing and more than half – 57 per cent – only believing they “might” lead to improvements.
Almost as many disagreed they would improve quality – 18 per cent – and 11 per cent said they were unsure.
The poll also sought views on which aspects of the 2025 aged care reforms are the most challenging for providers.
Regulatory complexity and financial impact topped the list, with almost two-thirds of respondents choosing one or the other. The breakdown of top concerns includes:
- navigating the new regulatory and compliance framework – 33 per cent
- managing financial and operational impacts – 30 per cent
- ensuring staff and leadership teams are adequately trained – 25 per cent
- meeting the new Aged Care Quality Standards – 12 per cent
While uncertainty is prevalent, Mr Covino said he thought it was unlikely there would be a delay in implementing the reforms, or that a delay would be particularly useful.
The real issue, he told AAA, is how to operationalise the changes – especially with workforce, compliance and funding all needing to work in sync.
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