While agency workers are meant to be the backup lifeline for short-staffed aged care homes, many report being treated more like outsiders than valued professionals. From being given the toughest tasks to being blamed for things they didn’t do, the agency workforce, particularly in aged care, is sounding the alarm about toxic work cultures that leave them feeling voiceless, unsupported, and expendable.
And the implications aren’t just about staff wellbeing, there are real risks to residents when systems fail to protect and empower the people who care for them.
“I worked as a nurse for 20 years, including many stints as an agency staff member,” shares one former clinician, who asked to remain anonymous. “Doing agency gave me a bird’s eye view into aged care, and every home was different. Some had brilliant, kind-hearted staff. Others? Frankly, dangerous. Staff who had no accountability, doing as they pleased, which affected residents the most. I once reported serious concerns about care standards to my agency, and they did nothing. Their priority was keeping the provider happy, not protecting residents.”
It’s a story echoed in online forums, support groups, and private conversations nationwide. Agency staff — whether nurses, personal carers, or support workers — describe being treated as disposable: thrown into unfamiliar facilities, often without proper inductions, and expected to perform without complaint. Many say they’re handed the hardest workloads, left out of handovers, or treated with open suspicion by permanent staff.
Worse still, when something goes wrong, some say they’re made scapegoats. The power imbalance between agency workers, providers, and recruitment companies often leaves these workers with nowhere to turn.
As one commenter put it on social media, “You’re not part of the team, you’re a band-aid. And everyone resents the band-aid.”
Of course, this isn’t the case for every facility. Many providers treat agency staff with the dignity and professionalism they deserve. And as sector reforms push for improved staffing and accountability, the hope is that agencies will also be held to higher standards.
But the fact remains: aged care is increasingly dependent on agency staff to fill critical gaps. And yet, the system does little to ensure these workers are respected, protected, and heard.
If we truly care about workforce wellbeing — and by extension, resident safety — then this silent crisis needs more than a whisper. It needs a reckoning.
Let’s start by asking: who’s looking out for the carers we rely on the most?
