On 17 January 2019, the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP announced $15 million in funding for existing Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers delivering home modifications services.
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Chemical and physical restraint in aged care homes will be better regulated, following extensive examination of this important issue over the past 18 months.
Incidents of over use of physical and chemical restraint will not be tolerated and draft changes to regulations are expected to be released within weeks.
This will build on work already undertaken.
Managing and minimising restraint is already a top priority for the Chief Clinical Adviser at the new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, established on 1 January 2019, by the Liberal National Government.
Our Government’s new Aged Care Quality Standards – the first upgrade of standards in 20 years – also stipulate best-practice clinical care to minimise the use of chemical and physical restraint.
The new Standards will come into full force on 1 July 2019.
Read more:
Aged Care Restraint Regulation to Protect Senior Australians (.pdf)
The new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission website is now up. See: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/
To make yourself familiar with the changes there is a page called ‘New Rules: Providers’ containing:
• Key changes for providers information sheet
• Language glossary
• Fact sheets on key changes:
o Accreditation and re-accreditation key changes fact sheet
o Assessment contacts key changes fact sheet
o Commonwealth home support programme key changes fact sheet
o Consent to access premises key changes fact sheet
o Quality review key changes fact sheet
o Request for specified information key changes fact sheet
o Review audits key changes fact sheet
o Transitional arrangements key changes fact sheet
Read more:
Regulatory Policy Helpdesk
From 2 January 2019 providers can access a Regulatory Policy Helpdesk for support in understanding how the Commission will operate under the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Rules 2018.
Welcome to 2019, we hope you had a great Christmas and New Year period.
2019 is going to be a big year for Aged Care with the new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission commencing, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety getting underway and the upcoming changes to the Accreditation Standards from 1 July 2019.
We now have almost all our staff back-on-deck as I’m sure many of you do too. So if you have any questions you didn’t get around to asking at the end of last year then please get in touch 1300 62 62 32 and speak with your dedicated Client Manager as to how Manad Plus can best help you going forward in 2019.
NOTE: The 18th January Royal Commission preliminary hearing will also be live webcast via the Royal Commission website.
The Management Advantage office will be closed on:
• Monday 28th January 2019 (for the Australia Day Public Holiday)
Note: The Manad Plus Help Desk will be OPEN on Australia Day.
In Case You Missed It – Below are links to recent articles on Aged Care and Healthcare that may be of interest:
The Butterfly Model Of Care: “This Is How Aged Care Should Be”
The Commissioners will issue Practice Guidelines to assist parties, witnesses and members of the public involved with the Royal Commission.
These provide comprehensive guidance and details on the format and referencing to be adopted by those who are requested in the future to provide information to the Royal Commission.
Read more:
Document Management Protocol for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (.pdf)
NOTE:
FAQ has been updated: 10 January 2019
• FAQ on Aged Care Approved Provider Information Request (.pdf)
Preliminary Hearing (Adelaide) – 18 January 2019
• Hearings
The rollout of an additional 10,000 new high-level home care packages begins this week, helping more senior Australians to remain living independently in their own homes.
The home care expansion is part of the Liberal National Government’s half-billion dollar ($552.9 million) aged care funding increase, announced in December 2018.
All of the additional 5,000 Level Three and 5,000 Level Four packages will be allocated by 30 June 2019, providing funding for up to $50,000 of care services per person per year including nursing, home assistance, nutrition and meal preparation and transport support.
Read more:
10,000 extra home care packages to benefit senior Australians (.pdf)
Today marks a new era for Australian aged care, with the independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission opening its doors, launching its one-stop quality and safety website and the single new contact number for aged care concerns and queries: 1800 951 822.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Ken Wyatt AM said the new Commission was a landmark Liberal National Government aged care reform and would better target sub-standard care and ensure the safety and security of senior Australians.
“With the motto ‘Engage, Empower and Safeguard’, the Commission flags a new beginning for aged care quality and safety,” Minister Wyatt said. “A single Commissioner overseeing compliance monitoring, complaints and customer service means no more silos.
“For the first time, senior Australians and their loved ones have one place to go when they need help, want to raise a concern, or access information about an aged care service.
Read more:
New Commission, New Era for Aged Care Quality and Safety (.pdf)
The department is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from organisations for proposals seeking to trial or use innovative approaches for the delivery of Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) services. The EOI process will close 2pm (Canberra time), Friday 1 February 2019.
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