News

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)

These guiding principles promote the safe, quality use of medicines and medication management in your aged care home.

They are based on evidence and advice from experts, providers and users of medicines in health and aged care services.

Read more:

Guiding principles for medication management in residential aged care facilities (.pdf)

The Australian Government has been made aware of plans by Southern Cross Care in Tasmania to restructure and make redundant sections of its skilled nursing workforce. We are also aware that other providers are considering similar restructures to the detriment of their workers, and potentially impacting the quality of care for older Australians.

The Government is very concerned about these actions at Southern Cross Care Tasmania in reclassifying workers, such as food preparation staff, to also directly care for residents.

We are also highly concerned that Southern Cross Care are making enrolled nurses redundant because of incorrect claims these roles are no longer funded by the Government.

Qualified and experienced enrolled nurses are a critical component of the aged care workforce as are those carers who provide direct care to some of the most vulnerable in Australia.

These are decisions of Southern Cross Tasmania – not the Government.

Read more:

Backing aged care nurses

In this edition:

• Webinar – aged care COVID-19 update
• Message from the Ministers to Aged Care Providers
• Video message from the Senior Australian of the Year
• Reminder: Reporting of aged care residents and aged care staff influenza vaccinations in 2022
• Top 3 Questions from our Webinar on 21 November

Read more:

Protecting Older Australians: COVID-19 Update – 25 November 2022

Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP and Minister for Aged Care, the Hon Anika Wells MP extend their thanks to aged care providers and outline key steps to protect older Australians and aged care staff this festive season.

Read the joint letter to aged care providers.

With COVID-19 cases increasing in the current wave, we all have a role to play to protect those most at risk of severe illness.

Please remain vigilant and maintain COVID-19 safe behaviours:

• do regular rapid antigen tests (RAT) to screen for infection
• wear a mask if indoors to help slow infection
• wash your hands frequently
• stay up to date with vaccinations
• stay home if unwell or COVID-19 positive.
• Thank you for your continued hard work and dedication.

Read more:

Protecting our older Australians and aged care staff this festive season

23 NOV 2022: Hon Mark Butler MP and Hon Anika Wells MP Letter (.pdf)