Quick answer: To manage aged care recruitment across multiple sites, run it as one system rather than separate homes. Build a single view of workforce gaps, apply the same compliance standard at every site, and use a planned blend of agency, contract, temp-to-perm and permanent staff. For regional operators, one recruitment partner that can cover every site makes the whole model easier to run.
Every home has its own roster, its own gaps and its own local talent pool. In regional and remote areas, those pools are small, so one resignation can leave a home short for months.
You can't manage what you can't see. Start with a single view of every home's workforce.
This view shows where to recruit permanently, where to use contract cover, and where agency shifts are filling a gap that should be filled another way.
Healthcare compliance should never depend on which home someone works at. Set one standard and apply it before anyone starts a shift:
Ask your recruitment partner to complete these checks before placement and to show you how they track expiring documents. For more, read how to prevent aged care staffing compliance failures.
The strongest multi-site models blend temporary and permanent staffing on purpose. Here's when each option works best.
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Agency shifts | Short-notice gaps, sick leave, peaks | Becoming the default for ongoing gaps |
| Contract staff | Longer gaps, regional and remote sites | Travel and accommodation logistics |
| Temp-to-perm | Filling a gap now while testing fit | Agreeing conversion terms upfront |
| Permanent hires | Steady, ongoing demand | Long lead times in regional areas |
Temp-to-perm is especially useful for regional homes. A nurse or carer who has already worked with your team is a lower-risk permanent hire. Compare the options in more detail in agency vs contract vs permanent staffing for aged care providers.
RN shifts are usually the hardest to fill and the highest risk to leave empty. Plan them across the group, not home by home.
Managing five suppliers across ten homes is a job in itself. Look for a partner that can cover the whole model. Ask:
Many groups also need physiotherapy, occupational therapy or other allied health services across their homes. If that's you, check whether the same partner can supply allied health professionals too, so you have fewer suppliers to manage.
E4 People is an Australian healthcare staffing agency, founded in 2012, with a specialist Aged Care team that supports providers across every site.
Managing recruitment across several homes? Talk to our aged care team.
Build one workforce view across every site, apply the same compliance standard everywhere, and use a planned blend of agency, contract, temp-to-perm and permanent staff. One recruitment partner that covers every site makes the model easier to run.
Temp-to-perm means a nurse or carer starts on a temporary or contract basis and moves into a permanent role if both sides are happy. It lets providers fill a gap now and test fit before making a permanent offer.
Release known shifts early, share nurses across nearby sites, use contract RNs for longer gaps, and convert reliable contract nurses into permanent roles. A recruitment partner with regional reach widens the pool beyond your local area.
Professional registration (AHPRA where the profession requires it), police and worker screening checks, immunisation records, references and mandatory training. Every site should apply the same standard before anyone starts a shift.
Both. Permanent staff give stability, while nursing agencies cover short-notice gaps, leave and peaks. The goal is a planned blend, with agency use trending down as permanent and temp-to-perm hires land.