The initial hearing of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will take place in Adelaide on Friday 18 January.
The Secretariat has advised that it is hoping to publish a Q&A page on their website to assist providers early next week. All enquiries to the Royal Commission secretariat should be directed to ACRCenquiries@royalcommission.gov.au
Response to Questions as provided by Royal Commission:
How is “substandard care” defined in questions 1 and 2?
What is covered by the terms “mistreatment” or “abuse”?
In answering questions 1 and 2, providers should include information about occasions where their service or outlet has provided care which did not meet the relevant quality standards under the Quality of Care Principles 2014 or other obligations under the Aged Care Act such as the Charter of Care Recipients Rights and Responsibilities. Providers should also include care which, in their view, did not meet the high standards of quality and safety that the Australian community expects of aged care services. In considering terms such as mistreatment and abuse, providers should take a common-sense view that considers community expectations.
What is meant by the term “systemic failure”?
It is recognised that some occasions of substandard care may be an isolated incident in a service which otherwise provides safe and high-quality care. Others will reflect a breakdown or failure on a broad or systemic basis across the service.
What is the difference between the information provided in relation to question 1 and question 2?
In relation to question 1, providers should include information on all such occasions of substandard care of which they ought to be aware, given their obligations as approved providers under the Aged Care Act and any other obligations under relevant Commonwealth or State and Territory legislation.
In relation to question 2, providers should identify information about complaints made directly to them, or about them to another body such as the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner, in relation to substandard care.