In this edition:
• Update on Aged Care and COVID-19 with the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services
• COVID-19 Portal PPE requests
• Updated Industry Code for Visiting in Aged Care Homes
• NSW Health updated advice for RACFs
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The Coalition Government is investing in a stronger health system as part of our plan for a stronger future through a record $132 billion in 2022–23, increasing to $140 billion in 2025–26, with a total commitment of $537 billion over the next four years.
This record funding will ensure Australians have access to improved healthcare, when and where they need it, helping them to lead healthier lives, with improved health outcomes and to provide ongoing protection against COVID-19.
We are strengthening our commitment to Australia’s Long Term National Health Plan, through important and strategic investments to deliver the world’s best health care system.
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Record investment in the future of Australia’s health system
New compulsory reporting on food and nutrition in residential aged care has revealed the amount providers spend each day, per person, has increased significantly.
Since 1 July 2021, the Morrison Government has provided an additional $10 per day per resident to eligible residential aged care providers.
By the end of December 2021, approximately $350 million was distributed to residential aged care providers to improve the delivery of care and services including food and nutrition.
To continue to receive this 2021 Basic Daily Fee supplement, providers are required to report to the Department of Health every three months on food and nutrition expenditure, and the quality of daily living services provided to residents.
Data collected through a new quarterly reporting system shows that the average spend on food and nutrition for residents has risen considerably since the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety cited $6 per day as found in a 2017 study.
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The Morrison Government will improve medication management and safety for aged care residents by investing $345.7 million for on-site pharmacists and community pharmacy services in government-funded residential aged care facilities (RACFs).
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, announced the funding at the annual Australian Pharmacy Professional Conference, currently underway on the Gold Coast.
“Improving medication management for senior Australians living in aged care is part of the Government’s generational reform of the sector,” Minister Hunt said.
“Having a pharmacist and community pharmacy services on-site will give residents and their families confidence that medications are regularly reviewed, appropriate and needed.
“The pharmacist will also gain an in-depth understanding of medication issues across the facility and will be well-placed to improve medical management and safety.
“This is especially important when we consider the overuse of antipsychotics, known as chemical restraint, and we will continue to work closely with the aged care sector, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia in implementing these important reforms.”
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On-site pharmacists to improve medication management in RACFs
Published by: Victor Harcourt, Anita Courtney, Johanna Heaven, Matthew Goessler, Despina Hrambanis
In September 2021, the second tranche of legislative reform stemming from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (Royal Commission) was introduced to Federal Parliament. Importantly, the Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No. 2) Bill 2021 (The Bill) proposes further amendments to the restrictive practices provisions which were introduced in 2021.
As many providers are aware, the practical implementation of the restrictive practices amendments resulted in ambiguity in relation to the authorisation of substitute decision-makers to provide consent on behalf of care recipient for the use of restrictive practices.
With the Bill before Senate in the week starting 28 March 2022, it is timely for approved providers to consider whether changes are required at a compliance or clinical level if the Bill passes, as hoped.
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The following aged care sector performance information includes statistics about residential aged care and home services.
The performance information includes data from the Commission’s aged care quality regulatory and complaints functions.
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News about the reforms:
• Data experts IQVIA to conduct consumer experience interviews
• Next 2021 Basic Daily Fee Supplement Report due 21 April 2022
• Have your say: New residential aged care design standards
Other news:
• Specialist Dementia Care Program webinar: Apply for Phase Two grant
• National Strategy for Volunteering: Submissions open for questions and feedback
• Update your provider information on My Aged Care
• National Forum: Enabling Better Aged and Community Care for Forgotten Australians
• Good Practice Guide for aged care hearing assistance programs
• Have your say: Understanding the experience of the aged care sector using translating and interpreting services
For residential care providers:
• Information for providers using Services Australia’s Aged Care Online web services
• Help for software developers to prepare for aged care system change
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Your Aged Care Update #05 (.pdf)
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability identified that psychotropic medicines are being misused and overused, particularly with older people and people with disability. Inappropriate use of psychotropic medicines has been recognised as a safety and quality issue in health care.
The use of psychotropic medicines can be appropriate for treating, or enabling the treatment of, a diagnosed mental disorder or a physical illness or physical condition. However, using psychotropic medicines, such as antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, to calm, soothe, sedate or influence or control the behaviour of people who exhibit behaviours of concern is a restrictive practice and is subject to regulatory oversight.
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Consumer Experience Interviews (CEIs) will be undertaken in residential aged care facilities from April 2022. Interviews will be undertaken and will use a simple set of questions to ask senior Australians about their experience living in residential aged care.
The results of these CEIs will be published on the Star Ratings web page. This will give all Australians more information and confidence when choosing aged care services for themselves or their loved ones.
To conduct the interviews, the department has engaged IQVIA in a consortium with Access Care Network Australia and HealthConsult, which has substantial experience in the aged care sector. IQVIA will be in touch with residential aged care providers to schedule interviews.
Around 20% of care recipients will be interviewed nationally, including residents from vulnerable communities, diverse cultures and those with special needs.
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Aged Care Alert: Aged Care Consumer Experience Interviews to be conducted soon
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