Background
Currently there is no national standard or framework to verify and manage the integrity of the aged care workforce in Australia. Australian communities, stakeholders and sectors across the aged care industry are demanding a better structured and more regulated aged care workforce verification and management solution.
There is an opportunity to extend Australia Post’s identification and verification solutions to help drive the industry reform process and measure the exact size and scale of the aged care workforce. A proven identification solution will provide greater transparency of the current workforce and ensure the industry is better structured to meet the significant future demand for aged care.
An aged care workforce management solution
Imagine if in 2023, every person working or assisting in aged care is identified and verified through a nationally consistent registration and credential process, delivered by Australia Post and the Federal Government. Australia Post has designed and validated a simple aged care workforce management solution to help meet the future demands for aged care in Australia.
Watch our video for more information
Read transcript
Video: The Australia Post logo appears on a red screen. Above, white text reads, "Strengthening the national aged care workforce. A man with greying hair stands in an office corridor. Text: "Bernard Salt AM, Demographer." The Australia Post logo sits in the bottom right corner.
Audio: Bernard: If we are to fully prepare for a rapid expansion of the aged care workforce, we need to properly measure its current size and scale. Workforce is a critical component of the aged care reform process.
Video: A woman wears a blue scarf over a navy uniform shirt. Text: "Heather Gray OAM, Chief Executive Officer, Dorothy Impey Home."
Audio: Dorothy: If there was a national database for staff or people that were interested in working in aged care, it might make them think more seriously about coming into aged care and realise how important the role is.
Video: A woman in a grey knit jumper sits by a piano. Text: "Irene McCracken, Family member." A uniformed staff member wearing a face mask joins residents chatting around a table.
Audio: Irene: Talking of the staff, it is important to know that they're registered or verified. You know you are getting the right people in the industry, that they are the ones that really want to stick it out, that that's what they want to do.
Video: A grey-haired woman wears a long-sleeved green blouse. Text: "June Stevens, Resident." The name "Dorothy Impey Home" appears in large letters on a building.
Audio: June: For the future of the staff, it could be certainly beneficial for them to be registered and they can always then say, "Well, I've had five years here," or X amount here, and they can take that with them and then use it, I think.
Video: The staff member sits in an armchair. Text: "Andrea Fabb, Staff member."
Audio: Andrea: The government really needs to know how many people work in aged care to improve the system.
Video: Heather approaches a resident. They both wear face masks. A wall is decorated with flowers, bows and butterflies.
Audio: Heather: It's about taking away the doubts and, at times, you do have doubts about employing someone. But if you have a register where you could go in and check, that would alleviate all that worry and give you a bit more confidence in employing that person. And working in aged care, that's what it's about - making a difference.
Video: Bernard wears a navy suit jacket over an open-necked white shirt.
Audio: Bernard: Over the first two years of the pandemic, the number of workers working in aged care increased by 61,000, according to data released by the ABS in March. No other job in the Australian workforce expanded as quickly or involved as many net new people as aged care and the baby boomers aren't really that old yet. The oldest baby boomer today is just 76, but more, many more will follow over the coming decade.
We need to get our systems right. How do we manage, verify, train and engage with a workforce that is growing at this pace? This is where we need a national system to identify, verify and properly measure the aged care workforce of the future. The time to act is now.
Video: The Australia Post logo appears on a red screen. Text: "auspost.com.au/agedcare".
Verification solution
The single and unified credential helps streamline workforce screening, identifies a person’s work history and reduces the time required to onboard staff when they’re applying for jobs. Registration is simple – staff and volunteers can complete the process online or at one of our 4,100+ Post Offices.
Commonwealth Government
Acknowledgement by Australians for acting on and improving the integrity of the workforce that looks after our most vulnerable citizens.
Aged care service providers
Single and unified credential will help streamline workforce screening and reduce time required to onboard staff.
Aged care workforce
Initial screening and registration reduces on-boarding process when applying for future roles and identifies a person’s work history.
Clients and families
Clients, carers and their families to gain higher levels of trust in the integrity and qualifications of service providers and their workforce.
Why Australia Post?
Australia Post is experienced, well-credentialled and trusted by Government, the private sector and communities to provide high-integrity identity and verification services across Australia. Our workforce management and verification service was recently used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to build the workforce that conducted the 2021 Census.
Registration is simple – workers can complete the process online or at one of our 4,100+ Post Offices, ensuring Australia Post is best placed to provide a complete and proven solution.
Identity Verification services by Australia Post include:
- Passport applications – 1.5 to 2 million annually
- 2021 ABS Census worker background checks – 30,000 staff
- Working with Children checks (Victoria) – 150,000 to 175,000 annually
- Property transfers verification of identity – 315,000 annually
- Tax file number applications – 280,000 annually
Contact us for more information
Contact our team at agedcare@auspost.com.au to find out how together we can lead the reform, design and implementation of an improved aged care workforce management and verification service.