Release date: 13 Sep 2018

Aged & Community Services Australia (ACSA) welcomes today’s release of the Aged Care Workforce Taskforce’s report A matter of care – a strategy for Australia’s aged care workforce as a much-needed strategy for growing the aged care workforce by 2050 to meet the rapidly increasing demand for aged care services.

ACSA CEO Pat Sparrow, who was a member of the Workforce Taskforce, said aged care providers welcome the ideas the Blueprint contains for tackling the looming workforce shortage and the challenge of tripling the workforce between now and 2050.

“Workforce is one of the most pressing issues for the sector into the future,” said Ms. Sparrow. “The Blueprint, correctly identifies that attracting and retaining the right staff is going to be critical to tackling this challenge. We will work with government to implement the practical suggestions for how industry can make aged care a career of choice, including for young people.”

“Getting this right now, means securing the sort of workforce the sector needs into the future with the right mix of skills in those areas of most need, said Ms Sparrow. “A career in aged care offers the rewards of genuine human care and contact as well as the bonus of a high degree of reliability in demand.

Earlier this year, ACSA rolled out nationally its successful Workforce & Industry Development Unit which has been operating in Tasmania since 2013.

“Our Team is already focused on many of the areas covered by recommendations of the Taskforce, providing our members with the tools and strategies to implement targeted and appropriate regional solutions, including youth engagement projects and other activities. Key to this is the engagement of a broad range of State and federal Government Departments, the training and education sectors, employment agencies and other stakeholders to support industry driving the workforce development agenda and subsequent strategies.”

Among the findings of the Workforce Strategy is the need for the workforce to be upskilled to tackle the increasing frailty of those entering care, with the incidence of complex health needs like dementia and mental health issues increasing.

“It is also pleasing the needs of remote workers and services has been identified and that a Remote Accord will be developed to ensure that the workforce needs in these areas are actively addressed.”

“ACSA looks forward to working with Professor Pollaers to deliver on much needed workforce reform” Ms. Sparrow said.