Hundreds of regional healthcare workers across South Australia are set to receive back pay after a departmental review found that some employees had been classified at the wrong level and should have received higher wages.

The review affects 390 workers across several regional local health networks, including employees working in the Riverland and Mallee. The issue was first highlighted during enterprise bargaining negotiations before being formally examined through a departmental review.

The review found that some aged and home care workers should have been classified at a higher employment level. As a result, those employees were entitled to higher rates of pay than they had previously received.

SA Health has confirmed that individual payments will be calculated for affected workers. The back pay will then be processed in the coming months. The exact amount each worker receives will depend on their individual employment circumstances and the period affected by the classification issue.

The development is particularly significant for regional communities, where aged care and home care workers provide essential services to older residents and people requiring assistance in their homes.

Regional healthcare services often operate across large geographic areas, with workers travelling between communities to provide care. Employees affected by the classification issue include workers associated with regional local health networks rather than a single facility.

The Riverland and Mallee are among the regions covered by the review. Communities such as Renmark, Berri, Loxton and surrounding areas rely on regional health services to provide care close to home.

The back-pay process follows the identification of the classification discrepancy during enterprise bargaining. The subsequent departmental review was used to establish the extent of the issue and identify workers who may have been affected.

SA Health has not yet announced a single figure representing the total cost of the back-pay arrangements. Instead, payments will be calculated individually for eligible workers.

The review is separate from general wage increases applying to healthcare and aged-care employees. It specifically addresses cases where workers were found to have been classified at a lower level than the duties or circumstances required.

For affected workers, the payments are expected to provide compensation for the difference between the wages they received and the higher rate that should have applied.

The announcement comes as regional healthcare providers continue to manage workforce pressures and demand for aged and home care services.

The back-pay arrangements are expected to be implemented over the coming months, with SA Health calculating individual entitlements before payments are made.

The latest information was published by ABC News in its Riverland regional briefing on October 1, 2026.