Have your say on 24/7 residential care nursing exemptions

The Government is seeking feedback on exemptions to the requirement to have RNs on duty 24/7 in aged care homes, which comes into effect on 1 July 2023. Draft subordinate legislation is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care’s website. The subordinate legislation says approved providers must report each month on RN staffing, and that the Secretary of the Department may grant an exemption from the 24/7 registered nursing requirement in certain circumstances:

• the facility is located in an MM 5 area, MM 6 or MM7 area (small rural towns, remote communities or very remote communities),
• there are no more than 30 operational places in the facility, and
• the Secretary is satisfied that the provider has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the clinical care needs of the care recipients in the facility will be met during the period for which the exemption is in force.

To provide feedback, email anaccoperations@health.gov.au by 13 March 2023.