A new era in Australian aged care is beginning, with legislation passing Parliament to establish the nation’s first, independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
The unified new Commission will begin operations on 1 January 2019, with funding of almost $300 million over four years, including an additional $48.2 million to expand monitoring, secure aged care quality and employ a network of dozens of additional senior compliance officers.
The Commission will be underpinned by a new aged care Charter of Rights and is set to enforce a new, single set of Quality Standards, the first upgrade of standards in 20 years.
The Commission will integrate and streamline the governance roles of the current Aged Care Complaints Commissioner and the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency creating a new one stop shop. From January 2020, it will also enforce the Department of Health’s aged care licensing responsibilities.
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