News

These resources about Star Ratings are to help residential aged care providers and older Australians understand how they are used to compare the quality of residential aged care.

Read more:

Star Ratings Provider Manual (.pdf)

Star Ratings fact sheet for residential aged care providers (.pdf)

Star Ratings – Frequently asked questions for residential aged care providers (.pdf)

Star Ratings fact sheet for older Australians (.pdf)

Star Ratings – Frequently asked questions for older Australians (.pdf)

Star Ratings ‘how to’ for Residential Aged Care (video)

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission new and updated resources.

Read more:

How prepared are you for a COVID-19 outbreak? – fact sheet (December 2022) (.pdf)

Infection Prevention and Control Leads: Updates for providers (December 21 2022) (.pdf)

Provider governance Resources (.pdf)

Code of Conduct for Aged Care (the Code) Resources (.pdf)

SIRS Resources (.pdf)

Aged care sector reforms – current status and what’s next? (.pdf)

RB 2022-16: Changes to Administration and Management Charges in the Home Care Packages Program (.pdf)

SIRS notice of significant new information form (.docx)

SIRS – Notice of additional information form (Priority 2) (.docx)

SIRS – Notice of additional information form (Priority 1) (.docx)

SIRS – Final report on reportable incident form (.docx)

Reportable incidents workflow SIRS in Home services (.pdf)

30 November 2022 – Letter from Chief Clinical Advisor to approved providers (.pdf)

30 November 2022 – Letter from Chief Clinical Advisor to Residents and Family Members (.pdf)

Provider governance – provider responsibilities 1 December 2022 (video)

In this edition:

• Preparedness advice and guidance over the festive season
• Department of Health and Aged Care – operational hours over the holiday period
• Department of Health and Aged Care – State office contacts
• Emergency provisions for home care recipient respite care
• Extension of the shelf life of COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment Lagevrio® (molnupiravir)
• 12 December 2022 Webinar – Top 3 Questions
• Helpful resources

Read more:

Protecting Older Australians: COVID-19 Update – 22 December 2022

In this issue, read a message from the Minister for Aged Care, learn about SIRS resources for home care, and check operational hours over the holiday period.

News about the reforms:

• A message from Minister for Aged Care, the Hon Anika Wells MP
• Star Ratings for residential aged care are now live

Home care:

• SIRS resources for home care service providers
• HCP price capping legislation now available
• Respite care for HCP recipients
• Support to recruit home care workers for NSW/ACT providers
• Reforming in-home aged care webinar recording now available

Sector news:

• Operational hours over the holiday period
• Reporting back on the Provider Pulse Survey
• Grant Opportunity now open: Improving respite care for people with dementia and their carers
• Aged care research and innovation grants available
• Extension to registered nurses’ payment grant round
• Explore the OPAN self-advocacy toolkit
• Advisory body responsibilities for approved providers

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update newsletter – Issue #2022/32 (.pdf)

The Albanese Government has today released star ratings for residential aged care homes in an Australian first initiative that increases transparency and helps older people make informed choices.

As of this morning, Star Ratings can be found on the My Aged Care website using the ‘Find a provider’ tool.

Star Ratings were a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which highlighted the need for measurable information on aged care quality to support older Australians to compare residential aged care homes.

Residential aged care homes receive an overall Star Rating, from one to five, that is measured against four sub-categories: Compliance, Residents’ Experience, Staffing and Quality Measures.

With families coming together for the holiday period, Star Ratings will allow older Australians to better understand and compare residential aged care services.

Star Ratings also allow residential aged care providers the opportunity for continuous, measurable improvement.

The final percentages of Star Ratings for aged care homes are:

• 5 Star – 1%
• 4 Star – 36%
• 3 Star – 54%
• 2 Star – 8%
• 1 Star – 1%

Read more:

Star ratings deliver informed choice and transparency

In this edition:

• Commissioner’s message
• Aged care reform update
• A look back at the Governing for Reform program in 2022
• If you have a positive food story to tell, we want to hear it
• From the Chief Clinical Advisor – Summer alert
• New guiding principles to improve medication management in aged care
• National Dementia Action Plan public consultation now open
• OPAN launches new self-advocacy toolkit
• New and updated Commission resources

Read more:

Aged Care Quality Bulletin #48 – December 2022

A list of new and updated resources – including apps, audio and video resources and other publications – about aged care.

Read more:

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care – Schedule from 1 January 2023 (.pdf)

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Pre-1 July 2014 Residential and Home Care Recipients – Schedule from 1 January 2023 (.pdf)

Home Care Packages Program Pricing Update – FAQs (.pdf)

Home Care Packages pricing update (.pdf)

Base interest rate (BIR) and maximum permissible interest rate (MPIR) for residential aged care (.pdf)

ROACA Summary 2021–22 (.pdf)

Key facts from the 2021–22 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997 (.pdf)

Guiding principles for medication management in residential aged care facilities collection

AN-ACC resources

Guide to Combining Aged Care Services (.pdf)

Star Ratings FAQs for residential aged care providers (.pdf)

Key points:

• Providers should be alert to the risks of heat and sun exposure when caring for older people and:
• look for signs of poor hydration, for example less frequent toileting
• look for signs of overheating, for example red skin or confusion.

The La Niña weather phenomenon may be easing but the effects of adverse weather events remain.

In addition, the current COVID-19 wave presents challenges across the country, especially as people come together over the holiday season.

With summer now upon us, it is time to reconsider the risks this season brings for older Australians.

As the weather heats up, please be alert to the risks of heat and sun exposure when caring for older people.

Aged care providers should clearly understand the inherent risks in their locations, spaces and their individual residents.

Read more:

Clinical Alerts: Keeping residents safe this summer

These resources about Star Ratings are to help residential aged care providers and older Australians understand how they are used to compare the quality of residential aged care.

Read more:

Star Ratings Provider Manual (.pdf)

Star Ratings fact sheet for residential aged care providers (.pdf)

Star Ratings – Frequently asked questions for residential aged care providers (.pdf)

Star Ratings fact sheet for older Australians (.pdf)

Star Ratings – Frequently asked questions for older Australians (.pdf)

Star Ratings ‘how to’ for Residential Aged Care (video)

Services Australia will be issuing January 2023 advance payments for residential care which will be calculated on 18 December 2022 and paid onwards from 20 December 2022.

Please submit your November 2022 claim to Services Australia no later than 12 December 2022 to allow for early processing of the January 2023 advance payment.

Read more:

Advance Payments for January 2023