Month: October 2024

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission new and updated resources.

Read more:

How we regulate aged care workers’ behaviour for your wellbeing and safety (.pdf)

Your voice in improving aged care fact sheet for aged care workers (.pdf)

How we handle complaints and concerns about conduct of aged care workers fact sheet (.pdf)

News about the reforms

Webinar: New regulatory model

Sector news

• Care Sector Demand Map
• Webinar: High risk weather season

Residential care

• Star Ratings update: Provider preview now available
• Care minutes and 24/7 registered nurse guides
• Quality indicator resource update

Workforce

• End-of-life care resources
• Webinar: Using writing to explore the challenges of ageing
• Forced Adoption: Practical Skills and Awareness

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update: 22 October 2024

From 1 April 2025, residential aged care providers will collect data on 3 new staffing quality indicators.

These make sure we measure the valuable input of:

• enrolled nurses,
• allied health professionals and
• lifestyle officers.

This change will increase the number of quality indicators for residential aged care providers from 11 to 14 under the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator (QI Program).

Quality indicators measure critical areas of care that affect the health and wellbeing of aged care residents. The 3 new measures recognise the crucial role staff have in providing high-quality care to older people in residential aged care homes.

Key dates

Residential aged care providers will:

• collect staffing data from 1 April 2025 (quarter 4, 2024–25)
• report quarter 4, 2024–25 staffing data through the Government Provider Management System (GPMS) by 21 July 2025.

We will publish more information and guidance to help you prepare for this change in coming months.

Read more:

New staffing quality indicators for residential aged care

QI Program quick reference guide – Enrolled nursing (.pdf)

QI Program quick reference guide – Lifestyle officer (.pdf)

QI Program quick reference guide – Allied health recommended services received (.pdf)

QI Program quick reference guide – Allied health care minutes (.pdf)

Fact sheet for board directors and senior executives – QI Program (.pdf)

Fact sheet for clinical care teams – QI Program (.pdf)

Fact sheet for older people and their families – QI Program (.pdf)

News about the reforms

• Aged Care Legislation Amendment Bill 2024
• Public consultation on Aged Care Rules continues
• New regulatory model nominated contacts

Sector news

• Aged Care Financial Reports due soon
• Sector Performance Report

Residential care

• 3 new staffing quality indicators
• Quality indicator reporting due
• Fact sheet: Care time reporting assessments

In-home care

• Regional Assessment Service organisations map

Workforce

• Webinar Series: Cultural diversity in ageing
• Free business and workforce advice
• National Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update: 15 October 2024

Quotes attributable to Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells:

“The Albanese Government’s reforms are continuing to lift the standard of aged care. These new quality indicators recognise the value nurses, allied health and lifestyle officers bring to aged care residents.”

“While it’s great to see improvements across the sector, our work continues to lift the quality of residential aged care in Australia. The new staffing quality indicators put the focus on key roles that support health and wellbeing.”

“We are determined to ensure older people have high-quality care that safeguards their health and wellbeing as they age. Quality indicators are one important way we achieve this.”

Read more:

New aged care staffing quality indicators to improve health and wellbeing