Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation

607 Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (13 February 2018). Does the minister support the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation's campaign to implement minimum staffing ratios at aged-care facilities?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining): The Minister for Health and Wellbeing has been advised:

Staffing levels and skills mix in SA Health residential aged care accommodation is governed by relevant enterprise agreements.

The staffing levels and skills mix must be driven by the actual care needs of individual residents. Changing residents' care needs, the changing levels of occupancy, the differences in geographical layout of the aged care facility, and the clinical support such as Palliative Care, Behaviour and Diversional Therapists are all important factors that make a difference to the determination of appropriate staffing and skill mix levels. Ratios and skill mix alone are not the only factors to determine the quality of aged care health care provision.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has commenced its important work to establish nationwide reform to ensure the current and future aged care system delivers the care that older Australians need and deserve.