Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for Leigh Place is 4.15 out of 5, against a national average of 3.81. Three findings stand out as positive, and three are worth a closer look.
Things we noticed
Positive standouts
Care and registered-nurse targets met in four reported quarters
The latest quarter records 221 minutes against a 205-minute daily care target; RN time is 45 against 42.
Food enjoyment improved in the latest survey
70% positive in 2026, compared with 58% in 2025: 12 percentage points higher.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Following up concerns is below the survey average
75% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 84.2% across other homes.
Respectful treatment is below the survey average
90% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 95.4% across other homes.
How well the home is run is below the survey average
85% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 88.1% across other homes.
Sources and Explanation
This is a programmatic interpretation of published data, not an in-person inspection or a separate expert-assigned score. The figures are the Elderberry Index and its four government component ratings; a measure the home has no published rating for is left out. Our rating methodology.
Ratings: August 2026. Survey comparisons: 2026 interview responses from that extract. Other Australian homes in the same ratings extract; survey comparisons also require the same interview year. Each eligible home has equal weight; missing/invalid values excluded. These are descriptive comparisons, not resident-weighted or adjusted for differences in care needs.
How findings are selected
Survey gaps of at least 3 percentage points, rating gaps of at least 0.3 stars, and changes of at least 10 percentage points can qualify. These are editorial selection thresholds, not tests of statistical significance. Benchmarks need at least 30 homes. Each side shows up to three eligible findings; missing values never become negative findings. Specific combined food evidence and sustained care-target results are prioritised, then larger differences. Respect and caring are grouped when both qualify.
Food spending uses the My Aged Care sector median for Jan–Mar 2026; resident enjoyment comes from the 2026 survey. The combined finding reports two separate observations from different reporting periods; it does not establish that spending caused the survey result. Year-to-year survey samples may differ and respondent counts are unavailable. Care consistency uses the latest four submitted, quality-checked care-minute records and direct RN minutes without EN top-up.
A lower compliance rating is a comparison with other homes, not a claim of an active sanction. Higher expenditure alone is not treated as better care. Unadjusted clinical incident measures are not used to rank quality here.
My Aged Care home profile · Government Star Ratings extract
Benchmark populations
| Measure | Mean | Other homes |
|---|---|---|
| Elderberry Index | 3.81 | 2365 |
| Residents’ experience | 3.62 | 2434 |
| Compliance | 4.83 | 2395 |
| Staffing | 3.18 | 2454 |
| Quality measures | 3.07 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.36% | 1080 |
| Feeling safe | 96.24% | 1080 |
| How well the home is run | 88.08% | 1080 |
| Getting needed care | 94.42% | 1080 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.08% | 1080 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 87.15% | 1079 |
| Staff explaining things | 80.26% | 1078 |
| Enjoying the food | 67.34% | 1080 |
| Following up concerns | 84.22% | 1079 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.42% | 1080 |
| Having a say in daily life | 92.70% | 1080 |
How much care and nursing does Leigh Place provide?
In January to March 2026, Leigh Place reported 221 minutes of care per resident per day, 16 minutes above its target of 205 minutes. Registered nurses provided 45 of those minutes, 3 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 42.
In each of the last four quarters, Leigh Place met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 215 to 221 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Of the 221 minutes, personal care workers provided 176 (79.6%), followed by registered nurses (45 minutes, 20.4%). In the same quarter, Leigh Place also reported spending on physiotherapists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers.
What do residents say about Leigh Place?
When residents surveyed at Leigh Place for the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether staff know what they are doing, 100% answered “always” or “most of the time”, above the 89.1% average across other homes by 10.9 percentage points. Answers were also above the average for other homes when residents were asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves (95% against 87.1%) and whether they have a say in their daily activities (100% against 92.7%).
The widest gap below other homes came when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things: 75% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 84.2%. Altogether, answers on 3 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points below the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
On a visit, you can ask about how the home records and follows up concerns. Of residents asked whether staff follow up when they raise things, 40% answered “always”, 35% “most of the time” and 25% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents feel safe and get the care they need?
Asked whether they feel safe, 95% of residents surveyed at Leigh Place answered “always” and 5% “most of the time”. When asked whether they get the care they need, 75% answered “always” and 20% “most of the time”.
How does Leigh Place spend on resident care?
In the 2024–25 financial year, Leigh Place spent $384.95 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 63.5% of it. Care and nursing spending of $244.29 was 8% below the sector median of $264.85. These amounts are the home’s costs, not the fees a resident pays.
Where does the rest of the spending go?
Other categories included administration ($47.91), accommodation and maintenance ($44.59), and cleaning and laundry ($19.31) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($157.56) and registered nurses ($52.80).
What is the food like at Leigh Place?
In the 2026 Residents’ Experience Survey, 70% of residents surveyed at Leigh Place said they like the food “always” or “most of the time”, 12 percentage points higher than the 58% recorded in 2025. Another 30% answered “some of the time”, and none answered “never”.
Food spending at Leigh Place in January to March 2026 was $15 per resident per day, 6% below the sector median of $16. Spending on dietitians in the same quarter was $0.20 per resident per day, 29% below the sector median of $0.28.
How are meals prepared?
Leigh Place reports that breakfast, lunch and dinner are all cooked fresh. All meals are prepared on site.
Do residents enjoy the food?
Residents who answered “Always” or “Most of the time”.
70% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
