The StewartBrown March 2018 Aged Care Financial Performance Survey (ACFPS) incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from over 911 residential aged care facilities and over 21,700 home care packages (412 home care programs) across Australia. The quarterly survey is the largest benchmark within the aged care sector and provides an invaluable insight into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the facility or program level.

The StewartBrown FY19 Aged Care Financial Performance Survey incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from over 1,102 aged care homes and over 34,999 home care packages across Australia. The quarterly survey is the largest benchmark in the aged care sector and provides invaluable insight into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the aged care home or programme level.

To view the whole report click here.

The StewartBrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from over 830 residential aged care facilities and 455 home care programs across Australia. The quarterly survey is the largest benchmark within the aged care sector and provides an invaluable insight into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the facility or program level.

The StewartBrown December 2017 Aged Care Financial Performance Survey (ACFPS) incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from over 915 residential aged care facilities and over 21,400 home care packages (401 home care programs) across Australia. The quarterly survey is the largest financial benchmark within the aged care sector and provides invaluable insight into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the facility or program level.

On 10 May 2018 the Australian Senate referred an Inquiry titled “the financial and tax practices of for‐profit  aged care providers” to the Economics References Committee, with a report due by 14 August 2018.   In particular, the Inquiry is to cover: 

1. the use of any tax avoidance or aggressive tax minimisation strategies; 
2. the associated impacts on the quality of service delivery, the sustainability of the sector, or value for  money for government; 
3. the adequacy of accountability and probity mechanisms for the expenditure of taxpayer money; 
4. whether current practices meet public expectations; and 
5. any other related matters.

StewartBrown was invited to make a submission to the Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce by the Chairman, Professor John Pollaers. The Submission includes: a summary of benchmarking survey results, commentary on the industry and an organisational analysis.

Overall, the financial results reflect the sector trends of pressure on revenue due to the FY18 freeze on ACFI indexation and ACFI scoring changes; occupancy pressures; and increases in staff costs.

As in prior periods, Estia and Regis both have a net tangible liability which is due to the fact the intangible assets are greater than the net tangible assets.

The ratio of liquid cash assets as a percentage of debt has decreased for all three providers due to the lower levels of cash and cash equivalents held.

On 16 September the Prime Minister announced the establishment of a Royal Commission into the aged care sector. Consultation is underway until 25 September to develop the Terms of Reference, which the Government anticipates will include:

The StewartBrown June 2018 Aged Care Financial Performance Survey (ACFPS) incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from over 974 residential aged care facilities and over 24,952 home care packages across Australia. The quarterly survey is the largest benchmark within the aged care sector and provides an invaluable insight into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the facility or program level.

On 17 December 2018 the Government provided its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook update for the 2018/19 year. In making the announcement it also included several measures that impacts directly on the aged care sector.

Click here to download a PDF version of the report below.

The StewartBrown December 2018 Aged Care Financial Performance Survey incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from over 965 residential care facilities and over 27,164 home care packages (503 home care programs) across Australia. The quarterly survey is the largest benchmark within the aged care sector and provides invaluable insight into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the facility or program level.

In February 2019, The Australian Department of Health (the Department) released the discussion paper “Managing Prudential Risk in Residential Aged Care” in consultation with the residential aged care sector and the broader community on the issue of managing prudential risk in residential aged care.

The existing framework in place under the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act) supports this objective, however two recent reviews have recommended that the prudential framework be strengthened (Ernst and Young and the Tune Review).

The Department has invited submissions from all interested stakeholders to gather the sector’s views on the options for better managing prudential risk in residential aged care.

Please see below for the StewartBrown submission on managing prudential risk in residential aged care.

The listed aged care providers Estia, Regis and Japara have recently released their six months results to 31 December 2018. StewartBrown has reviewed the Listed Providers Financial Reports and a summary of this analysis can be found in this report. This listed aged care providers financial performance update focuses solely on the three listed providers in order to provide a timely snapshot and commentary on their results.

Click here to download the report.

This Sector Report is for the period ending March 2019 of the largest benchmark survey of Australia’s aged care sector – the StewartBrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey. This quarterly survey takes in financial and supporting data from over 1,011 residential care homes, and over 26,386 home care packages (498 home care programs) nationally. The survey offers insights into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the individual residential and home care levels.

Our roadshow is taking an all-day forum around Australia, starting 15 October in Sydney then all the state capitals, and finishing in Launceston on 13 November.

Share Knowledge and Insights From Across the Whole Sector

The Aged Care Finance Forum is designed to inform the aged care sector. It explores the policy, operational and financial changes in the sector in 2019 and beyond, helping operators survive and prosper in an uncertain but exciting environment. The Forum is the opportunity for aged care providers and finance and operational staff across the sector to discuss challenges and share knowledge and insights.

More speakers have joined our programme at the StewartBrown 2019 Aged Care Finance Forums: Professor Mike Woods of the University of Technology, Sydney; Rachel Lane, author and aged care consultant head of Aged Care Gurus; Mike Callaghan, Chair of the Aged Care Financing Authority; and Fiona Somerville, Director of The Ideal Consultancy, will be joining us and presenting their perspectives on the Aged Care sector. Leaving no capital city out, StewartBrown is holding a forum in each of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and Launceston. Speakers will vary slightly from venue to venue, so we will be updating booked attendees by email - and in this space - with complete lists of speakers in each city.

Survey Report out now

StewartBrown’s Corporate Administration Costs in the Aged Care Sector Survey finds:

• Corporate administration costs continue to increase at a rate greater than the increase in revenue
• There has been a particular increase in corporate administration staff costs
• Organisations are on average spending 16.87% of their operating revenues on administration

The listed aged care providers Estia, Regis and Japara have recently released their full year results to 30 June 2019.

The StewartBrown September 2019 Aged Care Financial Performance Survey incorporates detailed financial and supporting data from over 1,043 residential aged care homes and over 34,702 home care packages across Australia. The StewartBrown quarterly survey is the largest benchmark survey within the aged care sector and provides invaluable insight into the trends and drivers of financial performance at the sector level and at the aged care home or home care package level.

To view the whole report click here.