News

The Albanese Government is delivering on its promise to make aged care more transparent and accountable by introducing Star Ratings for residential aged care homes.

Preliminary Star Ratings, which are being issued to residential aged care providers today, show many aged care homes meet or exceed expectations – with 31 percent receiving 4 or 5 stars.

However, Star Ratings also show that 10 per cent of services have fallen short and received just 1 or 2 stars.

• 1 per cent of all aged care facilities in Australia received one star
• 9 per cent received two stars
• 59 per cent received three stars
• 30 per cent received four stars
• 1 per cent received five stars

Read more:

Star ratings for aged care released to providers

In this issue, learn about new requirements in place from 1 December, read about care minutes funding for enrolled nurses, and celebrate aged care volunteers.

News about the reforms:

• New requirements in place: Provider Governance, Code of Conduct for Aged Care, Serious Incident Response Scheme, Restrictive Practices
• Care minutes funding for enrolled nurses in residential aged care
• Suitability of key personnel in aged care providers

Other news:

• EngAged newsletter for older people in Australia
• Recognising and celebrating our aged care volunteers
• Free Equip Aged Care Learning Packages
• National Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program
• Grant Opportunity now open: Improving respite care for people with dementia and their carers
• Care and Support Sector Nursing Clinical Placements Program

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update #30 (.pdf)

In this edition:

• Recording of COVID-19 aged care update webinar
• Webinar – aged care COVID-19 update
• Festive season resources for providers
• The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s message to providers
• Reminder – expediting access to oral antiviral treatments
• Update – Reporting of aged care residents and aged care staff influenza vaccinations in 2022

Read more:

Protecting Older Australians: COVID-19 Update – 05 December 2022

The Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act) meets the requirement of section 63–2 of the Act that the Minister present to Parliament a report on the operation of the Act for each financial year.

This report describes the operation of the Act during 2021–22 and includes additional information to aid an understanding of aged care programs and policies.

Read more:

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

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission new and updated resources.

Read more:

Code of Conduct for Aged Care – A3 consumer poster (.pdf)

Code of Conduct for Aged Care – consumer quick reference guide (.pdf)

Code of Conduct for Aged Care – Consumer guidance (.pdf)

Code of Conduct for Aged Care – consumer fact sheet (.pdf)

Reporting responsibilities for providers and their staff – SIRS for home services (.pdf)

Code of Conduct for Aged Care – Webinar Q&As as at 16 November 2022 (.pdf)

SIRS – reportable incidents workflow (October 2022) (.pdf)

Provider responsibilities relating to governance – Guidance for approved providers – Draft 14 November 2022 (.docx)

Workforce governance and management – fact sheet for providers (.pdf)

Prudential Standards – Investment management strategy (.pdf)

Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) Notice Manual form (.docx)

Serious Incident Response Scheme Guidelines for providers of home services – draft 31 October (.pdf)

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

Read more:

Food and Nutrition Report 2021-2022 (.pdf)

ACFI Monitoring report – September 2022 (.pdf)

A new program for In-Home Aged Care – Summary (.pdf)

A new program for in-home aged care – Discussion paper (.pdf)

Care minutes and 24/7 nursing requirements guide (.pdf)

Continence Aids Payment Scheme Application Guidelines and Application Form (.pdf)

Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) – Food and nutrition reporting explanatory notes (.pdf)

Home Care Packages pricing update (.pdf)

Subordinate legislation for the following aged care reforms has now been registered, with these changes coming into effect from 1 December 2022:

• Changes to provider governance responsibilities
• Extension of the Serious Incident Response Scheme to home care
• Hierarchy of persons/bodies who can consent to the use of restrictive practices

Read more:

Important changes from 1 December: Provider Governance, SIRS, Restrictive Practices

Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Governance and Reporting for Approved Providers) Principles 2022

Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Incident Management and Reporting) Instrument 2022

Quality of Care Amendment (Restrictive Practices) Principles 2022

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 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)

As the Department of Health & Aged Care continue to release further details and documents on AN-ACC we will continue to update these here for you.

They have released updated and/or new guides on:

1. Questions and Answers from Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) webinar #6 (.pdf)
2. Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) webinar slides – 30 August 2022 (.pdf)
3. Webinar: Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) update (video)

News about the reforms:

• Star Ratings webinar recording now available
• Second Food and Nutrition Report released
• Have your say: National Dementia Action Plan
• 2021-22 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997
• Webinar: Quarterly Financial Report
• Registered nurses’ payment grant round closing soon

Residential Care:

• Residential aged care payment statements – PDF function now available

Other news:

• Specialist Dementia Care Program: Grant Opportunity for two Queensland PHNs closing soon
• Digital Transformation Tech Talk
• Webinar: Intergenerational programs in aged care

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update newsletter – Issue #2022/29 (.pdf)