Aged care employment
Study report
This report looks at whether there should be a policy to preference the direct employment of aged care workers.
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Key Points
- It is widely recognised that there are major problems in the quality of aged care, especially in residential aged care. There are many reasons for this, but there is little persuasive evidence that a policy to preference direct employment would improve outcomes. It could indeed worsen outcomes.
- Direct employment is already by far the most common mode of employment in the aged care sector.
- Agency workers and independent contractors account for less than 4 per cent of the care workforce (personal care workers, nurses and allied health workers).
- The scope for any gains from a policy to preference direct employment therefore needs to be kept in perspective.
- In the context of the chronic staff shortages facing the sector, a policy to restrict agency work is not a realistic option.
- Where agency workers are used by approved providers of residential and home care, it is typically as a last resort for filling short-term staffing gaps or vacancies that cannot be filled otherwise, particularly in remote areas where workforce pressures are most acute.
- Independent contractors in residential care are used mainly for accessing specialist skills.
- The use of independent contractors in home care — often through digital care platforms that connect workers directly with consumers — is growing from a very small base as more older Australians express a preference to self-manage their government-funded care package.
- This attests to the benefits derived by individual consumers (and their families) and individual workers who are choosing this form of work over more traditional employment.
- Many older Australians highly value the choice and agency that this model provides, as well as the bespoke nature of the service offerings from platforms that cater for diverse needs.
- In many cases this is allowing them to fulfil an aspiration to stay in their own home for as long as possible.
- Equally, many platform workers highly value the flexibility, autonomy and the potential for higher pay associated with independent contracting — all of which add to their job satisfaction and help keep them in the sector.
- Given these benefits, there is a role for platforms as part of the solution for the future of work in aged care.
- This model works particularly well for the delivery of lower-risk care services to older Australians who have the requisite abilities and support to exercise choice and control over their care.
- Instead of focusing on employment models per se, the Government should expedite the suite of reforms to increase safety and quality that are currently planned or underway.
- These are likely to be more effective at managing the risks inherent in the delivery of aged care services, irrespective of employment models.
- Issues that go beyond aged care, such as the protection of workers in the gig economy, are best addressed through an economy-wide lens.
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