Month: October 2019

To help providers understand issues and their responsibilities around minimising the use of physical and/or chemical restraint, the Commission has released the following:

• Scenarios involving physical and/or chemical restraint

The scenarios consist of a range of case examples to help providers understand issues around the use of physical and chemical restraint. All the scenarios are intended to be illustrative only, and are not to be relied upon as authority. Providers should be mindful of their obligations under the Quality of Care Principles 2014, and pay careful attention to the legislative requirements to minimise the use of restraint when applying those obligations to real-life situations.

Each scenario deals with specific circumstances of a consumer and explores whether the provider’s response can be defined as a chemical or physical restraint. There is also an explanation of what kind of ongoing assessment and monitoring is required, as well as the need for documentation and the seeking of consent.

Read more:

Scenarios involving physical and/or chemical restraint (.pdf)

What is the impact of the law on aged care providers generally?

The protection from discrimination in this Bill applies in relation to a range of areas, including employment, the provision of goods and services, and the provision of accommodation. If the law is implemented as the Bill currently drafted, some of the impacts are as follows:

• Most States and Territories currently allow an organisation to implement “special measures” to remedy substantive inequality for a particular minority. That may include a provider only providing services to members of a religious group, or providing preferential services to members of that group. If the Bill is passed in its current form, these types of special measures would arguably infringe the new Federal law.
• Staff members who make discriminatory statements which are grounded in religious beliefs will be protected from discrimination claims unless the statements are malicious, or likely to harass, vilify or incite hatred or violence against a person. By extension, that means that aged care providers will not be vicariously liable for the statements of those staff.
• In New South Wales and South Australia it will become unlawful to refuse to provide services to people based on religion, or to impose different conditions on the provision of services to people because of their religion.

Read more:

The Religious Discrimination Bill 2019 and Aged Care Providers

Global accounting and advisory firm, Grant Thornton released its ‘Perspectives on the Future of Ageing and Age Services in Australia’ report, having formally submitted the report to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

The report is the result of independently facilitated workshops with 121 CEOs and executives from 112 age services providers from a national cross-section of for-profit, not-for-profit and government providers.

Led by Grant Thornton in partnership with Leading Age Services Australia, this is the first time a cross-section of the sector has come together on this scale to discuss many of the “wicked problems” being faced by the sector now and into the future.

Providers consistently expressed concern over their ability to support the increasing number of people requiring age services, as well as highlighting opportunities to improve the connections between the entire healthcare system to ensure a continuum of quality and timely care.

Read more:

Perspectives on the Future of Ageing and Age Services in Australia (.pdf)

LASA – Key insights and reflections on Future of Ageing and Age Services Workshops (.pdf)

In Case You Missed It – Below are links to recent articles on Aged Care and Healthcare that may be of interest:

Sweet advice from aged care residents to the younger generation

Medication reviews identify up to four problems per resident

120,000 older Australians waiting for a home care package

Government data shows residential aged care providers in ‘turmoil’

‘I’m not a nurse’, Earle Haven boss says

Millions of Australians’ sensitive medical images, data left openly accessible

Bupa Eden aged care resident defends facility saying ‘poor management doesn’t mean bad care’

Listed providers doing ‘better than average’

One in seven GPs work in aged care

Nurse Banned After Convincing Resident To Sign Over His $1.5m Estate To Her

Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, community meetings held

Provider CEOs share aged care recruitment tips

Govt begins search for future My Health Record provider

Doctors and nurses join forces to demand action to fix aged care

Volunteers line up to test funding tool

Aged care groups welcome AMA, ANMF call for urgent action on residential care

Cannabis To Be Trialled As Treatment For Dementia Symptoms

What happens when students live in an aged care facility?

In this edition:

• New Commissioner appointed
• Nutrition in Aged Care
• A reporter’s view of the Royal Commission
• Hearings update
• Community forum round up

Read more:

Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety – Newsletter – Issue 3 – October 2019 (.pdf)

Consultation on the operation of the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) has been extended until COB Friday 11 October 2019.

The department values the sector’s interest in the public consultation on the SIRS. Feedback will assist in the development of the finer details of a SIRS and inform further advice to government on structure and operation, legislative requirements and resourcing implications.

Read more:

EXTENSION to public consultation on the Serious Incident Response Scheme

Today marks International Day of Older Persons, with the theme for this year being “The Journey to Age Equality.”

Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck said senior Australians are vital contributors to communities all around the country.

“Senior Australians built this country and they continue to be role models for younger generations,” Minister Colbeck said.

“Today we pay tribute to our elders and acknowledge the value of their experience, their knowledge and their deep connection with the communities where they have lived, worked and raised their families.

Read more:

Celebrating International Day of Older Persons

The 2019-20 Flexible Aged Care Places (Multi-Purpose Services) Allocations Round is a competitive application process for Multi-Purpose Service approved providers to apply for flexible aged care places.

Apply for flexible aged care places – residential

Multi-Purpose Service approved providers can apply:

• for flexible aged care places – residential (high care) to expand existing services or establish new services
• to change the level of care designated to existing flexible aged care places

Up to 150 places are available in this round.

Read more:

Multi-Purpose Services – Flexible Places Allocations Round opens 1 October 2019