The Federal Government has confirmed funding for a new workforce capacity-building initiative in the home and residential aged care sector.
The establishment of the Workforce Advisory Service follows a recommendation by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety for education and training to improve the quality of aged care in Australia.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) will deliver the service on behalf of the federal Department of Health, with funding to come from a $5.9 million expansion of the Commonwealth’s Business Advisory Service.
Federal Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck said the free and confidential service will help aged care workers acquire qualifications and training – and by extension enable aged care providers to retain a better-skilled workforce over the medium and long term.
“This will be a win-win for workers, providers, and senior Australians alike; and will be an important step in building a world-class aged care workforce for Australia,” Minister Colbeck said.
He said the Government will continue to work closely with the Aged Care Workforce Industry Council to provide workforce planning support to aged-care providers.