Meeting the mark: The rise in care minutes across residential aged care

The Australian aged care sector is making significant strides towards meeting the mandated care minutes target of 215 minutes per resident per day (PRPD), including a minimum of 44 minutes of registered nurse (RN) time, as outlined in the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Care Minutes Responsibilities) Principles 2023.

Recent industry data, representing approximately 90,000 beds – nearly one-third of the Australian residential aged care sector – demonstrates a notable increase in care delivery, reflecting a commitment to improving resident outcomes and aligning with the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Significant increase in care minutes

From April to May 2025, total care minutes PRPD rose by 1.34%, reaching an average of 212.09 minutes, bringing the sector tantalisingly close to the 215-minute benchmark. This improvement is driven by a collective effort across various care roles:

• Registered Nurse (RN) Minutes: RN time increased by 1.52%, from 43.11 to 43.77 minutes PRPD, nearing the mandated 44-minute minimum. This reflects enhanced clinical oversight and care planning, critical for addressing complex resident needs.
• Assistant in Nursing (AIN) Minutes: AIN minutes saw a 1.40% rise, from 159.73 to 161.97 minutes PRPD, underscoring the vital role of AINs in supporting daily living activities and personal care.
• Allied Health and Diversional Therapy/Activity Organisers (DT/AO): Allied health minutes increased by 1.93% to 9.47 minutes, and DT/AO minutes rose by 3.87% to 5.77 minutes, enhancing residents’ quality of life through targeted therapies and activities.
• Enrolled Nurse (EN) Minutes: A slight decline of 1.44% was observed, from 6.45 to 6.36 minutes PRPD. However, the policy allowing up to 10% of RN targets to be met by EN minutes (effective from 1 October 2024) supports workforce flexibility, particularly in addressing RN shortages.

Implications for aged care management

The upward trend in care minutes signals a robust response to the Royal Commission’s call for improved staffing levels to ensure quality care. For aged care management, this progress necessitates strategic focus in several areas:

• Workforce planning and recruitment: The increase in RN and AIN minutes highlights the importance of recruiting and retaining skilled staff. Management should leverage programs like the Aged Care Transition to Practice Program and Aged Care Nursing Scholarships to bolster workforce capacity. The allowance for EN minutes to contribute to RN targets offers flexibility, but facilities must ensure ENs operate under RN supervision to maintain care quality.
• Funding and resource allocation: The stability of the Average Daily Subsidy (ADS), despite a slight decline from $300.96 to $300.80, reflects the backdating of reassessments. With funding reductions looming for metropolitan services (MM1) failing to meet targets from April 2026, management must prioritise efficient resource allocation to sustain care delivery without compromising financial viability.
• Compliance and reporting: The upcoming requirement for external audits of care time reporting (effective 2025-26) underscores the need for accurate record-keeping. Management must ensure robust systems to capture care minutes data, aligning with the Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) requirements. Failure to meet reporting deadlines or pass validation checks risks impacting Staffing Star Ratings, which influence consumer trust and overall facility ratings.
• Resident-centred care: The rise in care minutes, particularly in personal care and social support, aligns with the sector’s shift towards person-centred care. Management should continue to prioritise activities like one-on-one emotional support, which counts towards care minutes when delivered by RNs, ENs, or PCWs/AINs, while ensuring non-care activities (e.g., meal preparation, cleaning) are excluded.

Challenges and opportunities

Despite the progress, challenges remain. The slight decline in EN minutes suggests potential workforce distribution issues, which could be mitigated by targeted recruitment and training initiatives.

Additionally, the increase in advertised room prices by 6.51% this calendar year reflects rising operational costs, necessitating careful financial management to balance care quality and affordability.

The sector’s occupancy rate, up by 0.64% to 92.63% in May 2025, indicates growing demand for aged care services. Management should capitalise on this trend by optimising bed utilisation while ensuring care minutes targets are met, particularly for services with higher-needs residents, which may have targets exceeding 215 minutes PRPD.

Looking Ahead

As the aged care sector approaches the 215-minute target, management must maintain momentum by investing in workforce development, enhancing data accuracy, and aligning operations with AN-ACC funding requirements.

The integration of care minutes data into Staffing Star Ratings and public reporting via My Aged Care reinforces transparency, empowering residents and families to make informed choices.

By continuing to prioritise quality care delivery, aged care providers can not only meet legislative mandates but also restore confidence in the sector’s ability to provide safe, respectful, and person-centred care.