Elderberry Expert Rating and Opinion
The Elderberry Index for St Vincent's Care Services Bronte is 4.19 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 238 minutes against a 222-minute daily care target; RN time is 51 against 44.
Staffing rating exceeds the national average
5 out of 5, compared with 3.18 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Quality measures rating exceeds the national average
4 out of 5, compared with 3.06 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Worth a closer look
Food enjoyment fell in the latest survey
57% positive in 2025, compared with 100% in 2024: 43 percentage points lower.
Residents’ experience rating trails the national average
3 out of 5, compared with 3.62 across other rated homes in the August 2026 extract.
Enjoying the food is below the survey average
57% answered “Always” or “Most of the time”, compared with 70.3% 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: 2025 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 2025 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 | 3.06 | 2456 |
| Respectful treatment | 95.86% | 1354 |
| Feeling safe | 96.45% | 1354 |
| How well the home is run | 89.33% | 1354 |
| Getting needed care | 94.47% | 1354 |
| Confidence in staff skills | 89.49% | 1354 |
| Encouragement to stay independent | 88.59% | 1354 |
| Staff explaining things | 81.81% | 1354 |
| Enjoying the food | 70.27% | 1354 |
| Following up concerns | 85.19% | 1354 |
| Kind and caring staff | 95.96% | 1354 |
| Having a say in daily life | 93.19% | 1354 |
How much care and nursing does St Vincent's Care Services Bronte provide?
In January to March 2026, St Vincent's Care Services Bronte reported 238 minutes of care per resident per day, 16 minutes above its target of 222 minutes. Registered nurses provided 51 of those minutes, 7 minutes above the registered-nurse target of 44.
In each of the last four quarters, St Vincent's Care Services Bronte met both its total and registered-nurse targets. Minutes of care per resident per day ranged from 234 to 244 across those four quarters.
Who provides that care?
Personal care workers provided 186 minutes per resident per day, followed by registered nurses (51 minutes). St Vincent's Care Services Bronte also reported spending on physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and lifestyle and recreation workers in the same quarter.
What is the food like at St Vincent's Care Services Bronte?
When residents surveyed at St Vincent's Care Services Bronte for the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey were asked whether they like the food, 57% answered “always” or “most of the time”, 13.3 percentage points below the average of 70.3% across other homes. The share fell from 100% in 2024. Another 38% answered “some of the time” and 5% “never”.
Food spending at St Vincent's Care Services Bronte in January to March 2026 was $23 per resident per day, 44% above 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?
According to St Vincent's Care Services Bronte, 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”.
57% of surveyed residents
Spending & preparation
Daily spending on food and dietitian services, and how meals are prepared.
Sources and Explanation
What do residents say about St Vincent's Care Services Bronte?
Asked in the 2025 Residents’ Experience Survey whether staff know what they are doing, 77% of residents surveyed at St Vincent's Care Services Bronte answered “always” or “most of the time”, 12.5 percentage points below the average of 89.5% across other homes. Answers were also below the average for other homes when residents were asked whether they feel safe (90% against 96.5%) and whether they get the care they need (90% against 94.5%).
The widest gap above other homes came when residents were asked whether staff follow up when they raise things: 91% answered “always” or “most of the time”, against an average of 85.2%. In all, answers on 3 of the 10 questions other than food were at least 3 percentage points above the average for other homes.
What should you ask about on a visit?
A visit is a chance to ask about the training staff receive. Of residents asked whether staff know what they are doing, 29% answered “always”, 48% “most of the time” and 24% “some of the time”; none answered “never”.
Do residents have a say in daily life?
On choice and independence at St Vincent's Care Services Bronte, the share answering “always” or “most of the time” was 95% when asked whether they have a say in their daily activities and 91% when asked whether they are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves.
How does St Vincent's Care Services Bronte spend on resident care?
Total spending at St Vincent's Care Services Bronte in the 2024–25 financial year was $471.25 per resident per day, and care and nursing made up 55.1% of it. Care and nursing spending of $259.48 was 2% below the sector median of $264.85. These figures are the home’s costs, not the fees a resident pays.
Where does the rest of the spending go?
Other categories included accommodation and maintenance ($81.28), administration ($48.57), and cleaning and laundry ($28.25) per resident per day. Within care and nursing, the largest amounts per resident per day went to personal care workers and assistants in nursing ($158.90) and registered nurses ($48.62).
