Month: January 2020

The Australian Government is providing an additional 576,000 P2 masks to South Australia, Tasmania and Australian Defence Force personnel to support bushfire-affected communities.

An additional 505,000 masks have been reserved for New South Wales and 505,600 masks have been reserved for Victoria, following a request from these states.

The Government has already provided more than a million masks to New South Wales, 455,400 to Victoria, 416,000 to the ACT, 19,200 to Australia Post, and 3,000 to the Australian Federal Police.

This brings the total number of P2 masks provided and reserved so far to almost 3.5 million.

Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, said the Government had made more masks available from the national stockpile to ensure the safety of people in bushfire-affected communities.

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Number of P2 masks provided for bushfires almost 3.5 million

A Request for Tender is now open seeking a training strategy for assessors under the proposed Australian National – Aged Care Classification (AN – ACC) funding model.

A supplier is sought to scope the training that could be required for a national AN – ACC assessment workforce. No decision on the future of residential aged care funding reform has been made.

Tenderers with registration through Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency and/or Australian Skills Quality Authority will be preferred.

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Residential Aged Care Funding Reform – Assessor Training Strategy – Request for Tender open

Training strategy for assessors under the proposed Australian National – Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding model

As an approved provider you have an important role to ensure that care recipients continue to receive quality care during and after emergency events by being well prepared for any events that might impact your service. Providers are required under the Aged Care Act 1997 to continue to maintain quality care and services to care recipients.

Home Care Packages providers are required to have plans in place for the management of emergency events.

After an emergency event you should:

• when safe, provide advice to the department in your state about the impact of the event on your service and care recipients, including alternative arrangements put in place
• keep staff, volunteers and care recipients well informed during an emergency situation
• assess the impact of the event on your service and care recipients and take steps to recommence all services as soon as possible
• liaise with and request assistance as required from local agencies providing recovery and other relevant services
• review and amend your risk management plans, as needed.

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Home Care providers in affected bushfire areas

Home Care Service – Preparing for an Emergency Event (.pdf)

The Australian Government has, for the first time, deployed Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) specialists in a domestic setting to provide medical support to people evacuated from bushfire-affected communities.

The eight specialists – two doctors, two nurses, two paramedics and two logisticians – have been deployed to RAAF Base East Sale in Victoria to provide immediate clinical and logistical assistance to evacuees, and to assess the need for additional medical and health support services.

The Acting Australian Government Chief Medical Officer is in discussions with other jurisdictions about whether there is a need for additional AUSMAT specialists to be deployed.

The specialists positioned in East Sale will work closely with Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services and Defence personnel, to ensure their work complements that being conducted by medical staff already on site.

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Medical support from AUSMAT for bushfire evacuees

The department advises residential care providers that where a residential aged care facility is operating as an approved provider and taking people into aged care respite, the provider can apply for emergency approval under Section 22-5(2) of the Aged Care Act 1997. As per current requirements, the provider will need to submit an Application for Care form to their local ACAT within five business days after the day on which the care started.

The department appreciates that service providers may currently face delays in submitting these applications due to experiencing bush fire related constraints. The department reassures providers that where they are unable to submit the Application for Care form to their local ACAT within five business days, the provider can, as soon as practicable, apply for an extension (as required under Section 22-5(3) of the Act) with the reason for the delay (ie “bush fire related emergency”) advised to the ACAT at the time of requesting the extension.

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Emergency approval applications from residential care providers for residential respite during bushfire emergencies

The quality of aged care provided to senior Australians will be significantly strengthened as Government measures come into effect today.

From 1 January 2020, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will be bolstered with additional functions and responsibilities to safeguard the sector into the future, supported by a series of targeted investments aimed at improving compliance and quality.

In addition, new restrictions for prescriptions of the drug Risperidone today mark a tangible step toward reducing the level of chemical restraint used in aged care.

The changes support the Government’s initial response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s Interim Report.

Minister for Aged Care Richard Colbeck said while important Government reforms – including the development of a new funding model – would continue, waiting for the final recommendations from the Royal Commission was vital to ensure long-term sustainable change.

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Important changes to improve the quality of aged care start today