Care minute targets now mandatory
October 3, 2023 | Care Minutes
On the 1st October 2023, care minute targets became mandatory and the care minutes associated with each AN-ACC class were adjusted. These changes have been made by the Department to better align each service’s average care time responsibility with its overall class AN-ACC funding.
As we move into the new quarter, it is important to understand the difference between sector-wide targets and your service level targets.
Sector-wide targets
The sector-wide average care minute targets show the care minutes expected per resident per day, averaged across the sector. This is an initial care minute target of a sector average of 200 minutes per resident per day, including 40 minutes of RN time per day.
Service-level targets
Service-level targets are based on the assessed care needs of a service’s residents and represent the average amount of care minutes that should be provided per resident per day at that service.
A service’s care minute target may differ from the sector-wide average target, depending on the service’s resident casemix in the previous quarter. If a service’s target is different from the sector-wide average, the service only needs to provide their service-level care minutes target. For example, a service with higher needs residents might have a target of 210 minutes per resident per day, while a service with lower needs residents could have a target of 190 minutes per resident per day.
To make sure you’re across the mandatory changes, and for more detailed information on care minute targets, the Department guidelines can be found here: Care minutes and 24/7 registered nurse responsibility guide
Our Mirus Works and Care Minute Manager clients are feeling optimistic and are confident about planning, tracking and reporting on their facility’s care minutes, taking the shock out of preparing their QFR and significantly reducing the time required.
If you would like to know more how we are supporting clients through this complex time, please reach out.
