As part of the Commission’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19), our site visits will include the following new risk-based question on the minimisation of infection-related risks:

What action has the service taken to assess and minimise infection-related risks for the care of aged care consumers including the impact of a potential coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak?

From Monday 9 March 2020, quality assessors will ask the additional risk-based questions of the person in charge at a service during the entry meeting on commencement of all performance assessments. This includes assessments with residential aged care services and home services.

Residential services – Risk-based questions

1. Have there been any adverse findings by another regulatory agency or oversight body in the last 12 months? (e.g. Healthcare complaints commission or similar, Food safety authority, Workcover, etc).
2. What trends do your complaints data show you?
3. How many consumers are receiving pressure area care?
4. Have there been any medication incidents in the past 6 months where a consumer required hospitalisation or attention by a medical officer?
5. How many consumers have had falls and required medical attention in the past 3 months?
6. How many consumers at the service are currently receiving psychotropic medications? (To be captured as a rate or percent of total consumers at the service.) How many consumers are restrained in order to manage risks to themselves or others at the service? (To be captured as a rate or percent of total consumers at the service.)
7. Can you tell me about incidents in the past 6 months where a consumer or staff member has required medical attention as a result of challenging behaviour from a consumer?
8. What action has the service taken to assess and minimise infection-related risks for the care of aged care consumers including the impact of a potential coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak?

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Risk-based questions