Month: October 2022

Star Ratings will be published for all residential aged care services by the end of 2022.

Star Ratings will be based on Compliance and Resident Experience, as well as Quality Measures and Staffing information reported by approved providers through the:

• National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indictor Program (QI Program) – 1 July to 30 September 2022 quarter for the current 5 quality indicators is due by 21 October 2022.
• Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) – 1 July to 30 September 2022 period reporting is due by 4 November 2022 using the Forms Administration’s data collection portal.

Late or non-submission of data is expected to result in a 1 Star Rating for the relevant sub-category and reduce a service’s overall Star Rating.

Find more information about Star Ratings, the QI Program and QFR on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Read more:

REMINDER: Star Ratings data is due now

Star ratings for residential aged care

National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program)

Quarterly Financial Report

Forms Administration portal

Know the difference between incontinence associated dermatitis and pressure injury to improve consumer health outcomes.

Key points:

• Clinical staff should be made aware of the differences between incontinence associated dermatitis (IAD) and pressure injury (PI).
• IAD and PIs are commonly confused.
• If the consumer is not incontinent, it is not IAD.
• IAD and PI can coexist.
• Both conditions must be adequately assessed and monitored, including photographic monitoring where appropriate.
• If either condition continues to progress, specialist advice should be sought.

Read more:

Clinical Alerts: Incontinence associated dermatitis and pressure injury

Distinguishing Between Incontinence Associated Dermatitis (IAD) & Pressure Injuries (PI) (.pdf)

News about the reforms:

• Aged Care Quality Standards: Public consultation now open
• HCP Program Assurance Community of Practice: Live chat session
• Webinar: Digital Transformation Tech Talk

For home care providers:

• Discussion paper: In-home aged care

Other news:

• Webinar: Living with significant health issues – a life story perspective
• For residential care providers:
• Reminder: Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Grant Opportunity

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update newsletter – Issue #2022/23 (.pdf)

In this edition:

• Flood events and aged care preparedness
• Webinar: High risk weather preparedness briefing

Read more:

Protecting Older Australians: Flooding preparedness

In this edition:

• Webinar – aged care COVID-19 update
• COVID-19 isolation requirements for high-risk settings
• Aged care settings

Read more:

Protecting Older Australians: COVID-19 Update 14 October 2022

The State Government released the Retirement Villages Amendment Bill 2022 Exposure Draft on Saturday 8 October 2022. There is an initial consultation period until 28 October 2022, when the Government will go into caretaker mode. The next stage of consultation will then depend upon the outcome of the State election.

The Bill significantly re-writes the Retirement Villages Act 1986 (Vic) and makes many fundamental changes across all stages of the resident’s journey through a village, from pre contract disclosure, to operational matters during resident occupation, through to resident vacation including reinstatement/refurbishment obligations, payment of exit entitlements, termination rights and dispute resolution processes.

Read more:

Victorian Retirement Villages Amendment Bill

Thank you, Anne – Rosalind and Daniel- and thank you Dr Graeme Blackman AO, for your opening address and recognise your commitment to this sector and his work as Chairman of the Aged and Community Care Providers Association.

I acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains.

Together, Australians stand on the shoulders of 1600 generations of First Nations people and that is our shared history.

As Minister for Aged Care, alongside my parliamentary colleagues here Senator Ruston and Senator Rice … and as representatives of Australia’s Aged Care providers, it must sit with us all collectively to do better for First Nations people.

We need aged care, particularly residential aged care, to be accessible and a welcoming place for all Australians… no matter their circumstances.

And the Albanese Government is working to deliver a First Nations reform agenda for First Nations Elders, led by in-depth consultation with Elders, their families and carers, providers and workers, and relevant community organisations.

We do this in genuine partnership, under the Closing the Gap National Agreement.

The group gathered here today is important.

We need your input, solutions, and efforts to reform aged care.

We need to do this once and do it well.

Read more:

Address to the Aged and Community Care Providers Association Conference – 12 October 2022

News about the reforms:

• Code of Conduct for Aged Care now available
• Reminder: Aged Care Quality Standards consultation webinar
• HCP Program Assurance Community of Practice: Live chat session
• Reminder: Aged care reform pulse survey

Other news:

• Dementia Australia webinar and BrainTrack app launch
• National Aged Care Data Strategy consultation: A chance to have your say
• Employer Engagement Webinars: Expanding the Aged Care Workforce through Australian Apprenticeships (Traineeships)
• National Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program

For residential care providers:

• Submitting ACFI appraisals after 1 October 2022
• My Aged Care Service and Support Portal: Explainer videos and systems process map
• National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program data due 21 October 2022
• Specialist Dementia Care Program Grant Opportunity now open for two Queensland regions
• Reminder: Accommodation costs for a low-means resident in an extra service place

For home care providers:

• Reminder: Wellness and Reablement Report for CHSP providers

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update newsletter – Issue #2022/22 (.pdf)

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

Read more:

Summaries of My Aged Care system changes – October 2022 (.pdf)

Council of Elders communique – 16 September 2022 (.pdf)

Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) – Accessing care minutes targets in the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal

Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) – classifications, reclassifications and reconsiderations in the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal

Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) – palliative care entry process in the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal

My Aged Care – Service and Support Portal User Guide Part 2 – Team Leader and Staff Member Functions (.pdf)

How to access and use the Service and Support Portal for Serious Incident Response Scheme – Residential Aged Care services (.pdf)

New Arrangements for Aged Care from 1 July 2014 – Home Care (.pdf)

New Arrangements for Aged Care from 1 July 2014 – Residential Care (.pdf)

Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements for Aged Care – 1 October 2022 (.pdf)

Exposure draft of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Amendment (Code of Conduct and Banning Orders) Rules 2022 (.pdf)

Care and Support Sector Code of Conduct and Consultation Summary Report (.pdf)

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission new and updated resources.

Read more:

Serious Incident Response Scheme Guidelines for residential aged care providers (October 2022) (.pdf)

Effective serious incident investigations guidance for providers (October 2022) (.pdf)

Reportable incidents workflow (October 2022) (.pdf)

SIRS reportable incidents – Unreasonable use of force (October 2022) (.pdf)

SIRS reportable incidents – Unlawful sexual contact or inappropriate sexual conduct (October 2022) (.pdf)

SIRS reportable incidents – Neglect (October 2022) (.pdf)

SIRS reportable incidents – Psychological or emotional abuse (October 2022) (.pdf)

SIRS reportable incidents – Stealing or financial coercion by a staff member (October 2022) (.pdf)

SIRS reportable incidents – Inappropriate use of restrictive practices (October 2022) (.pdf)

RB 2021-12 Reconsideration of reviewable decisions (.docx)