Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. The commission’s recommendations have placed increased pressure on providers to meet higher standards of care, including new minimum staffing requirements. Like many other providers, Mercy Health faces challenges in meeting these standards while remaining financially sustainable. “One of the biggest challenges we face is workforce shortages,” says Douglas. “There are simply not enough staff to meet the growing demand for aged care services, and we’re competing with other providers for a limited talent pool.” Financial sustainability is another critical concern. A government task force recently reviewed aged care funding, and Mercy Health is hopeful that the recommendations from this review will lead to a more sustainable model for the future. “The current funding model doesn’t provide a significant 38 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 09
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