Uncertainty abounds as aged care providers reveal their stance on reforms

Just how prepared are aged care providers ahead of the sector-defining introduction of a new Aged Care Act? Well, according to Mirus Australia, they are ‘somewhat prepared’ with six weeks to go.

A recent poll conducted by Mirus Australia revealed that the sector is in a state of cautious transition, with many providers eager to improve, but burdened by uncertainty, complexity and the scale of reforms.

Worryingly, only a small minority of aged care providers (8%) are ‘very prepared’ with the vast majority (79%) ‘somewhat prepared’. An additional 9% are ‘not prepared’ while 4% stated they are still unsure.

While the results are not necessarily a red flag signalling complete failure, they accurately highlight the difficulties caused by such a drastic overhaul to legislation and associated regulatory elements.

“These figures show that while providers are taking steps toward reform readiness, there is still a significant gap in confidence,” Rob Covino, Founder of Mirus Australia, said. 

“This data confirms what we’re hearing on the ground: providers are trying to keep pace with reform but are juggling competing priorities. There’s strong intent to adapt, but real uncertainty about what success looks like under the new rules. What the sector needs now is practical, operational support – not just policy updates.”

When asked about the most challenging aspect of the aged care reforms, providers were relatively split on two leading concerns.

One-third of the sector said they’re most challenged by ‘Navigating the new regulatory and compliance framework’ while a similar number of providers identified ‘Managing financial and operational impacts’ as their greatest obstacle.

One-quarter said leadership and staff training was their greatest challenge, followed by just over one-in-ten providers who responded with concerns linked to meeting the new Aged Care Quality Standards. 

In terms of support, providers were also asked what support they believe would be most valuable in preparing for the 2025 reforms. 

The responses revealed a strong preference for actionable, provider-focused solutions:

• Just under half wanted practical tools and training for leadership teams
• 29% asked for more government guidance and sector-wide collaboration
• 19% sought greater financial and operational planning resources
• Another 7% wanted peer insights and case studies from other providers 

Head of Quality and Compliance at Mirus Australia, Katie Airey, said the results underline the urgency of investing in leadership capability across the sector. 

“Workforce capability is emerging as a make-or-break factor in the success of these reforms. Leadership teams need more than information – they need tools, training, and shared insights to support their people through this change. The new standards demand a whole-of-organisation response,” she added. 

Critically, providers were also asked about whether they believe the 2025 reforms will lead to a measurable improvement in aged care quality. Uncertainty once again reigned supreme as 57% said ‘maybe’ and only if it is supported by funding and oversight.

Roughly one-fifth of the sector believes the changes will definitely drive meaningful improvements, while the remainder said compliance burdens will outweigh the benefits (13%) or that it’s too early to tell (11%).