Month: August 2022

Dear approved provider,

We are moving through a period of substantial change as the Australian Government’s aged care reform program is implemented to meet the needs and expectations of older Australians now and
into the future.

The new Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Act that received royal assent on 5 August 2022 implements nine measures to improve accountability and transparency and responds to 17 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

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31 August 2022 – Letter to approved providers regarding national aged care reforms (.pdf)

A list of new and updated resources – including apps, audio and video resources and other publications – about aged care.

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Home Care Packages Program – helping you understand costs (.pdf)

How do I calculate my care minutes targets? (.pdf)

What are care minutes? (.pdf)

How do I calculate my residential respite funding under AN-ACC? (.pdf)

How do I calculate my AN-ACC care funding? (.pdf)

Home Care Packages Program Assurance Review – Report – Indirect and care management charges (.pdf)

ACFI Monitoring report – May 2022 (.pdf)

ACFI Monitoring report – April 2022 (.pdf)

Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) – Food and nutrition reporting explanatory notes (.pdf)

The Government has agreed an extension through to 31 December 2022 of key COVID-19 supports currently provided to the aged care sector. Additional funding has also been committed to the Aged Care Support Program extension grant to ensure current and future claims can be met. The Government will continue to review and adjust the COVID-19 response in aged care according to expert advice. The extended supports include:

• Extension of supply through the National Medical Stockpile
• Extension of access to RATs for residential aged care homes
• Aged Care Support Program Extension Grant – additional funding
• Continued pathology in-reach testing in residential aged care

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Aged Care COVID-19 support measures extended to end of 2022

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission new and updated resources.

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Enjoying dining – Consumer fact sheet (.pdf)

Getting the dining experience right – Aged care staff fact sheet (.pdf)

Getting the dining experience right – Provider fact sheet (.pdf)

8 facts you need to know about each resident – poster (.pdf)

Know, Observe, Support, Act – poster (.pdf)

Dining in residential aged care – tips and tricks fact sheet (.pdf)

Getting the dining experience right – poster (.pdf)

Your dining experience – Consumer poster (.pdf)

Food and dining preferences – fact sheet (.pdf)

Prudential Standards – Governance Standard – fact sheet (.pdf)

Prudential Standards – Financial and Prudential Reporting Responsibilities fact sheet (August 2022) (.pdf)

Prudential Standards – Disclosure fact sheet (August 2022) (.pdf)

Home care letter to consumers advising of visit (.pdf)

Noticeboard poster advising of visit (.pdf)

Noticeboard poster unannounced visit (.pdf)

Site audit notice sent with reminder email (.pdf)

Site audit poster sent with reminder email (.pdf)

Form – Approved provider notification of a material change (.docx)

Fire safety is critically important, especially as Home Care and CHSP recipients may be vulnerable and may lack mobility.

A fire can take hold in just three minutes, yet it only takes seconds to prevent one. Already this winter, preventable fire fatalities have almost tripled with most fatal fires occurring in living areas and bedrooms.

Sufficiently operating sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, emergency exit signs, fire blankets, fire extinguishers, fire safety plans and other safety equipment must be addressed.

Fires are dark and disorientating and you can’t smell smoke in your sleep. A working smoke alarm is the only thing that will provide you with an early warning to escape.

People who are deaf or have a severe hearing loss may have difficulty in hearing conventional smoke alarms and evacuation systems. There are specialised smoke alarms available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

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Winter Fire Safety

The new Aged Care Payment System (ACPS) has now gone live, which means the online claiming channels including Aged Care Provider Portal (ACPP) and Aged Care Web Services are now open.

You may start lodging claims and submitting events such as ACFI, entry (including Palliative on entry), leave, and departures.

We encourage providers to use the range of resources about the new ACPS. These are available on the Services Australia Health Professional Education Resources page.

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New Aged Care Payment System, plus care minutes targets now available on support portal

Consumer Experience Interviews with older Australians residing in aged care will give vital insight into the quality of services they receive.

Consumer Experience Interviews are underway, due for completion by 31 October 2022. The information collected from Consumer Experience Interviews will contribute to facilities’ Star Ratings, due to be published in December 2022. Non-participation will lead to a low score.

Residential aged care services are being contacted to schedule a date for interviews. All interviews must be scheduled by 16 September 2022 in order to participate in the 2022 CEI program.

Please be responsive to requests from IQVIA and avoid rescheduling to ensure participation.

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Consumer Experience Interviews – act now

News about the reforms:

• Webinar: Home Care Packages (HCP) Program Assurance Reviews
• Register for the HCP Program Assurance Community of Practice
• Upcoming HCP Program Assurance Reviews
• Webinar: Consumer Experience Interviews – Star Ratings
• Food and nutrition reporting is changing
• Aged Care Financial Report submission and helpdesk
• AN-ACC funding estimator
• Webinar: Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) update

Other news:

• Changes to the Aged Care Pricing Commissioner function
• Update your provider information on My Aged Care: Provider Summary and Service Information
• Diversity Coaching Workshop: The Inclusive Service Standards for Beginners
• Register now: Governing for Reform in Aged Care program and webinar
• Aged Care Learning Information System (Alis): Free trial
• Employer Engagement Webinars: Attracting workers into aged care
• Webinar: Grief and Loss
• Vision Australia webinar: Understanding low vision and blindness
• Webinar recording: Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing Free Translations in Aged Care
• Reminder: Take part in the Australian Human Rights Commission’s project

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Your Aged Care Update: Issue 16, 2022 (.pdf)

Commonwealth vaccination in-reach clinics are available to facilities unable to secure a primary care provider or conduct a self-run on-site vaccination clinic.

The Department is extending its Expression of Interest (EOI) process for COVID-19 in-reach vaccination clinics until 31 December 2022.

This will allow any residents who were unable to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations over winter due to various reasons to catch up with their COVID-19 vaccination schedule.

We encourage providers to register your interest for an in-reach clinic: Residential Aged Care COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic – Registration Form.

The Department has written to residential aged care providers, please read the letter for further details on the extension of these clinics.

Read more:

COVID-19 vaccination in-reach clinics extended

Residential Aged Care COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic – Registration Form

Commonwealth COVID-19 in-reach clinics extended until 31 December (.pdf)

The Labor Albanese Government has held an Aged Care Workforce Pre-Jobs Summit Roundtable with more than 20 stakeholders in Parliament House, to better understand the practical solutions needed in the aged care sector.

The Aged Care Workforce Pre-Jobs Summit Roundtable was attended by universities, unions, advisory councils, providers, community services, and advocate groups.

Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells, led the roundtable with Morris Iemma facilitating.

The event provided an opportunity for the sector to contribute to the Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit and the Employment White Paper.

Major topics discussed in the three-hour session included how to boost job security, making aged care an attractive place to work, access to education and training, the role of migration in aged care and creating innovation in the industry.

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Aged care roundtable advances practical solutions