News

An exposure draft of the Quality of Care Amendment (Restrictive Practices) Principles 2022 is now available for review.

The draft legislative instrument proposes changes to the Quality of Care Principles 2014 to set out a hierarchy of persons or bodies authorised to give informed consent for older Australians in residential aged care. This only applies if the resident cannot give informed consent themselves.

As part of the changes included under the recently passed Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Act 2022, this draft instrument seeks to provide greater certainty in states and territories where laws do not allow another person or body to give informed consent to the use of restrictive practices on the behalf of a resident.

Read more:

Informed consent on the use of restrictive practices

Restrictive practices in aged care – a last resort

Exposure Draft Quality of Care Amendment (Restrictive Practices) Principles 2022 (.pdf)

Explanatory Statement – Quality of Care Amendment (Restrictive Practices) Principles 2022 (.pdf)

In this edition:

• Webinar – aged care COVID-19 update
• National Cabinet and Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) Statements – update to COVID-19 settings
• Australia’s first Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to join rollout
• Useful links for the sector from last weeks’ meeting
• Recording available – COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience webinar

Read more:

Protecting Older Australians: COVID-19 Update 14 September 2022

News about the reforms:

• Quarterly Financial Report submission
• Food and Nutrition reporting: Explanatory Notes now available
• Webinar recording now available: Reforming in-home aged care and regulation update

Other news:

• myGov has changed but My Aged Care Online Account remains the same
• Community Visitors Scheme celebrates 30 years
• Free booklet and training to support LGBTI people with dementia in aged care
• National Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update newsletter – Issue #2022/18 (.pdf)

The new Key Personnel in Aged Care reforms commence 1 December 2022. They affect board members, employees, contractors, consultants and volunteers who are key personnel as at 1 December or who become key personnel.

Approved providers must conduct a much more rigorous assessment about whether an individual is suitable to be involved in the provision of aged care. Notifications must be made within 14 days to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Key personnel must also notify the approved provider of a change of circumstances.

The reforms may potentially make existing key personnel unsuitable due to events that have occurred prior to 1 December. This may result in them not being able to fulfil the inherent requirements of their role.

Approved providers should start preparing for the implementation of the reforms prior to 1 December and consider the impact on recruitment prior to 1 December.

Read more:

Current Key Personnel and Historic Suitability Matters – Are they still suitable to be key personnel?

News about the reforms:

• Default AN-ACC classifications
• Palliative care entry arrangements under AN-ACC
• HCP Program Assurance Community of Practice: Live chat session
• Webinar: Introduction to aged care sector reforms – a regulatory perspective
• Webinar recording: Consumer Experience Interviews
• Consultation now open: The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority’s Towards an Aged Care Pricing Framework

Other news:

• Webinar: Digital Transformation Tech Talk 6 September
• Aged care nursing and allied health scholarships now open
• Verifying your specialised services to help diverse older Australians find the care they need
• Safe and inclusive care for Forgotten Australians
• New palliative care resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
• Webinar: Neuropsychological symptoms of dementia

For home care providers:

• Updated Home Care Package Pricing Report available
• Home Care Packages Program Data Report available

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update newsletter – Issue #2022/17 (.pdf)

In this edition:

• Commissioner’s message
• National reform program aims to deliver a better experience of aged care
• New resources to improve food and nutrition for aged care residents
• Quality and safety in home services – risks in focus: Care planning and assessment
• Best-practice feedback and complaints handling – training available
• Governing for Reform in Aged Care program
• Register now for educational workshops – updated courses available
• Consultation – aged care on-site pharmacists
• Aged Care Financial Report 2021–22 – new fact sheet available
• New and updated Commission resources

Read more:

Aged Care Quality Bulletin #44 – August 2022

Creating behaviour support plans that better support residents

Key points:

Providers should review their approach and governance of behaviour support plans (BSPs) to ensure they meet the criteria outlined below:

• Comprehensive ongoing person-centred assessments should be used to develop a BSP.

• BSPs should proactively prevent behaviour changes from occurring and support a resident should they experience changed behaviour.

• BSPs must be reviewed and updated on a regular basis, and after any change in the resident’s circumstances.

It’s been a year since it became a requirement for you as a provider to have a behaviour support plan (BSP) in place for residents who need one.

Read more:

Clinical Alerts: Behaviour Support Plans

Dear approved provider,

We are moving through a period of substantial change as the Australian Government’s aged care reform program is implemented to meet the needs and expectations of older Australians now and
into the future.

The new Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Act that received royal assent on 5 August 2022 implements nine measures to improve accountability and transparency and responds to 17 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Read more:

31 August 2022 – Letter to approved providers regarding national aged care reforms (.pdf)

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

Read more:

Home Care Packages Program – helping you understand costs (.pdf)

How do I calculate my care minutes targets? (.pdf)

What are care minutes? (.pdf)

How do I calculate my residential respite funding under AN-ACC? (.pdf)

How do I calculate my AN-ACC care funding? (.pdf)

Home Care Packages Program Assurance Review – Report – Indirect and care management charges (.pdf)

ACFI Monitoring report – May 2022 (.pdf)

ACFI Monitoring report – April 2022 (.pdf)

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

The Government has agreed an extension through to 31 December 2022 of key COVID-19 supports currently provided to the aged care sector. Additional funding has also been committed to the Aged Care Support Program extension grant to ensure current and future claims can be met. The Government will continue to review and adjust the COVID-19 response in aged care according to expert advice. The extended supports include:

• Extension of supply through the National Medical Stockpile
• Extension of access to RATs for residential aged care homes
• Aged Care Support Program Extension Grant – additional funding
• Continued pathology in-reach testing in residential aged care

Read more:

Aged Care COVID-19 support measures extended to end of 2022