Visible, Valued, and Resourced: Care Time Reporting and Infection Prevention

Ellie Golling & Luci Rodda

Infection prevention and control (IPC) in aged care isn’t just about having the right protocols—it’s about having enough staff with enough time to implement them properly.

With the introduction of Care Time Reporting Assessments as part of Australia’s Aged Care Reform agenda, aged care providers now have a structured way to ensure staffing aligns with resident care needs. However, one critical question remains: does this include dedicated time for infection prevention and control?

When IPC tasks—such as hand hygiene, PPE use, cleaning, and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS)—compete with direct care responsibilities, they often get deprioritised in busy aged care settings. But, failing to allocate sufficient IPC time can lead to higher infection rates, preventable hospitalisations, and increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

So, how can Care Time Reporting Assessments help aged care facilities ensure IPC is embedded into staffing models and daily operations?

The Link Between Staffing and Infection Prevention

📊 Care Time Reporting Assessments track how staff time is allocated across different care activities, providing a data-driven way to assess whether there is enough capacity for IPC-related tasks, including:

✅ Hand Hygiene Compliance – Consistent hand hygiene is the simplest, most effective IPC measure, yet staff often struggle to adhere to protocols when workloads are high.

✅ PPE Use and Donning/Doffing Practices – Staff must have time to correctly apply and remove PPE, particularly when caring for residents during outbreaks or in isolation.

✅ Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection – High-touch surfaces, shared equipment, and resident rooms require frequent, thorough disinfection to prevent pathogen spread.

✅ Surveillance and Early Outbreak Detection – Tracking HAIs, flu outbreaks, gastroenteritis, and other transmissible conditions requires staff to have time for monitoring, documentation, and timely escalation.

✅ Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Activities – Overuse of antibiotics in aged care fuels AMR. Facilities must ensure staff have time to monitor and manage antibiotic use, in partnership with prescribers and pharmacists.

What Happens When IPC Time is Insufficient?

Without dedicated time for IPC, aged care facilities face:

🔴 Higher Infection Risks – Poor hand hygiene, rushed PPE use, and inadequate cleaning allow infections to spread within and beyond the facility.

🔴 Increased Outbreaks and Hospital Transfers – Delayed outbreak response results in greater morbidity and avoidable hospitalisations.

🔴 Antibiotic Overuse and AMR – Without structured AMS programs, inappropriate prescribing persists, escalating antimicrobial resistance and making future infections harder to manage.

Using Care Time Reporting to Strengthen IPC in Aged Care

To embed IPC into staffing models, aged care facilities should use Care Time Reporting data to:

1️⃣ Allocate Dedicated IPC Time

• Ensure IPC activities are built into daily staffing schedules, not treated as secondary tasks.

• Assign designated IPC leads to oversee compliance, training, and outbreak response.

2️⃣ Align Staffing With Infection Risk

• During higher-risk periods (e.g., winter, during gastro outbreaks), IPC tasks should be scaled up — increasing time for cleaning, audits, PPE usage monitoring, and surveillance.

3️⃣ Improve Training and Compliance Monitoring

• Include ongoing IPC education and allow time for staff to attend sessions and implement changes.

4️⃣ Strengthen Workforce Planning for Future Outbreaks

• Use Care Time Reporting insights to identify gaps in IPC capacity and justify additional staffing where needed.

Future-Proofing IPC in Aged Care

With the new Aged Care Quality Standards placing greater emphasis on governance and accountability, IPC must be integrated into workforce planning—not just during outbreaks, but every day.

✔️ Care Time Reporting provides a tool to assess whether IPC is properly staffed and resourced.

✔️ Embedding IPC into workforce models will help reduce infections, prevent AMR, and protect residents.

✔️ Aged care facilities that prioritise IPC time will be better prepared to meet standards, reduce hospital transfers, and improve resident outcomes.