StewartBrown Discussion Paper - Financial And Prudential Standards

Following a considerable number of discussions with providers and peak bodies seeking our opinion in relation to the Quality Commission's recently released "Public consultation summary report (the new financial and prudential standards" which included the amended Financial and Prudential Standards, and in particular the Liquidity Standard, we have prepared a Discussion paper for public comment.

Please find attached the March 2025 Aged Care Performance Survey Analysis Report, covering the 9-month 1 July 2024 to 31 March 2025 period which incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from 1,192 aged care homes (99,323 beds/places) and 79,975 home care packages across Australia.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the Stewartbrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey Analysis report for March 2025 (Nine months).

Please find attached the December 2024 Aged Care Performance Survey Analysis Report, covering the 6-month period from 1 July to 31 December. This report includes detailed financial and supporting data from 1,168 aged care homes (96,627 beds/places) and 77,750 home care packages across Australia. Below is an overview of some results and commentary.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the Stewartbrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey Analysis report for December 2024 (Six months).

In conjunction with the new Aged Care Act 2024, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission recently released the Financial and Prudential Standards guidance for providers. The proposed new Liquidity Standard includes an enforceable minimum liquidity amount for all residential aged care providers, tailored to their circumstances.

The Quality Commission has sought submissions on the proposed new Financial and Prudential Standards as part of the consultation process (New Financial and Prudential Standards | Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission).

StewartBrown conducted a detailed modelling and analysis of the proposed new minimum liquidity guidelines which are included in the attached submission.

Click here to view or download the submission.

Please contact us should you seek any clarification in relation to this submission.

Please find attached the September 2024 Aged Care Performance Survey Analysis Report, covering the 3-month period from 1 July to 30 September. This report includes detailed financial and supporting data from 1,205 aged care homes (99,956 beds/places) and 77,555 home care packages across Australia. Below is an overview of some results and commentary.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the Stewartbrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey report for September 2024 (Three months).

With the new Aged Care Act now legislated and effective from 1 July 2025, it is important that regular reviews of the progress with respect to the funding reforms, the ongoing financial sustainability of the sector and whether any unintended consequences are emerging.

To this extent, StewartBrown will continue to prepare ad hoc reports in addition to the quarterly Survey Reports over the coming 12 months to analyse specific areas of Residential, Support at Home and CHSP.

Our latest report “Support at Home Financial Reforms Impact Analysis” is attached.

As always, please contact us at any time for any clarification or discussion in relation to this report.

The StewartBrown June 2024 (Twelve months) Aged Care Financial Performance Survey incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from 1,202 Aged Care Homes (99,214 beds/places) and 68,226 Home Care Packages from 210 Approved Providers accross Australia.

The quarterly survey is the largest financial benchmark in the aged care sector and provides invaluable insights into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the aged care home or program level.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the Stewartbrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey report for June 2024 (Twelve months).

On 20 April 2020, Grant Corderoy of StewartBrown submitted a witness statement to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. This submission provides a comprehensive analysis of the financial state of the aged care sector in Australia. It highlights the challenges faced by providers, explores whether they are adequately funded to deliver quality care, and makes several recommendations for strengthening the financial oversight of aged care services.

You can access the full submission by downloading the PDF document.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the submission document.

The Aged Care Bill 2024 (draft new Aged Care Act) was tabled in Parliament on 12 September 2024 with bipartisan support for Chapter 4 "Funding for Aged Care Services". The Bill included the funding reforms resulting from the Aged Care Taskforce Report (Aged care reforms and reviews | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care).

StewartBrown has been very supportive of the Taskforce Recommendations and the Government's clear desire to ensure the financial sustainability of the aged care sector to meet the current and future demands of older Australians. With bipartisan support through parliament, a strong foundation will be established for the future.

Implementing major funding policy changes, such as has been included in the Aged Care Bill, will often create varying levels of consternation that unintended consequences are avoided. These will need to be addressed as they are identified.

StewartBrown has strongly advocated for these funding reforms for the past 4 years and will continue to support fair and equitable funding reform into the future.

The attached paper provides initial modelling and analysis of the financial impact of the reforms on residential aged care. This analysis will continue as more detail becomes available through the release of the Rules that will underpin the new Act.

StewartBrown will also be distributing analysis and commentary on the funding reforms and new design of the Support at Home program over the next week.

These reforms are important first steps in ensuring that the sector becomes and remains financially sustainable. As reforms continue to evolve, StewartBrown will continue to support the sector with detailed analysis and evidence-based advocacy.

The Aged Care sector, and particularly residential aged care, has been stagnating due to successive and sustained operating deficits. Over the last five years the aggregate operating loss for the residential aged care sector has been $5 billion.

The StewartBrown March 2024 (nine months) Aged Care Financial Performance Survey incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from 1,202 Aged Care Homes (99,214 beds/places) and 68,226 Home Care Packages from 210 Approved Providers accross Australia.

The quarterly survey is the largest financial benchmark in the aged care sector and provides invaluable insights into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the aged care home or program level.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the Stewartbrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey report for March 2024 (nine months).