Aged care system workforce: training quality in NSW

Aim: This study examines the consistency and acceptability by employers of the Certificate III in Aged Care as a qualification for unregistered care workers in metropolitan NSW.

Method: An expert committee developed consistency measures and surveyed 10 registered training organisations providing courses leading to this qualification to establish course consistency. Ten employers of graduates from these organisations were surveyed to examine the courses’ acceptability as preparation for care workers.

Results: Training organisations provided widely different content, clinical experience and levels of supervision for students at varying rates of cost and duration. Facilities were not satisfied by levels of skills and knowledge of graduates and did not employ those from 20% of the sample surveyed.

Conclusion: Care workers’ qualifications should be regulated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the title and roles of these workers become more defined and clarified as a result.