The Federal Labor Government has been forced to admit it won’t reach its target of 24/7 Registered Nurses in all Aged Care homes, which is an acknowledgement for battling smaller regional aged care facilities.

Earlier this week Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells revealed to media not every facility would be fully staffed by July 1, following months of pressure and advocacy from the Coalition on behalf of smaller aged care facilities.

Minister Wells said the Government would work with smaller facilities in “rural and remote” areas to make sure they get the exemptions and support they need, as they work towards the targets set by the recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission.

“Common sense has prevailed and I am pleased for what this will mean for facilities in Mallee such as Dunmunkle Lodge in Minyip and Johnson-Goodwin Memorial Homes in Donald,” Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health Anne Webster said.

“These facilities, as well as Maryborough’s Havilah Hostel, were facing serious difficulty in meeting those Registered Nurse targets – simply because there aren’t enough Registered Nurses available– so this failure of the Government to achieve its expedited goals is actually a relief for them and the pressure they were experiencing.

“I have been working with these facilities for months and advocating on their behalf to Minister Wells and the Labor Government after they expressed concerns regarding their viability.

Dr Webster also spoke on the matter in Parliament this week before Minister Wells made the revelation about the Government’s target.

“The Government’s expedited timeframe for meeting Registered Nurse requirements was always a pie in the sky target, the country is almost 7,000 RN’s short of that according to a recent University of Technology Sydney report,” Dr Webster said.

“These requirements would have seen our regional aged care facilities close and our older Australians abandoned and forced to leave their communities to find care. Tragically we have already seen this with Dimboola’s Allambi Elderly People’s Home, which had already been forced to close the doors on its care facility.”