News

The Home Care Workforce Support Program will assist home and aged care providers to attract, train and retain approximately 13,000 new personal care workers, allied health assistants and enrolled nurses.

Applications are open via GrantConnect and will close 2:00pm, Friday 27 August 2021.

Activities under the program could include:

• screening candidates for suitability
• providing mentoring or support services and communities of practice to new workers
• promoting work placements for students undertaking aged care training
• upskilling existing staff to help them supervise students and new staff
• helping providers to attract and keep staff.

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Applications open: Home Care Workforce Support Program

Current Grant Opportunity View – GO4990

Senior Australians in regional and remote areas will benefit from the single largest investment in residential aged care infrastructure in Australia’s history.

A total of $150 million in capital grants has been allocated following the conclusion of the competitive 2020 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR).

This substantial investment by the Australian Government has funded 72 infrastructure projects worth, on average, $2.1 million each.

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck, said the investment reflects the Morrison Government’s commitment to greater respect, care and dignity for senior Australians no matter where they live.

“Investing in aged care infrastructure means we can improve the quality and safety of residential aged care from the ground up,” Minister Colbeck said.

“Safe, secure and comfortable residential care homes, designed around the needs of residents, provide the foundation for our five-pillar, five-year aged care reform plan.”

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Record infrastructure funding and aged care boost

In this issue:

• Commissioner’s message
• On-entry screening and routine monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms
• Limiting the risk that residential staff will need to isolate
• More resources to support providers in relation to new restrictive practices obligations
• From the Chief Clinical Advisor – behaviour support plans
• New Serious Incident Response Scheme resources for providers and consumers
• Provider feedback on site visits moves online from 1 August
• Information about antimicrobial stewardship in aged care
• Updates from the Department of Health
• New and updated Commission resources

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Aged Care Quality Bulletin #31 – July 2021

The National Police Checking Service (NPCS) conducts every Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (police check) in Australia. It is currently experiencing significant demand. This is causing delays to the processing of aged care police checks and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Worker Screening Checks. Some delays may be up to eight weeks.

To avoid further delays, providers are encouraged to start all police check and NDIS Worker Screening Check renewals 12 weeks before they expire. If you do not manage renewals on behalf of your staff, please encourage your staff to start the renewal process early. This will ensure you meet your responsibility to have clearances in place for all staff.

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Delays in aged care police checks and NDIS Worker Screening Checks

Aged Care Worker Screening Guidelines (.pdf)

The Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission have published a number of new resources.

Read more:

Booklet – Medication. It’s your choice (.pdf)

Brochure – Medication. It’s your choice (.pdf)

SIRS – Understand your right to be safe consumer A3 poster (.pdf)

SIRS – Understand your right to be safe consumer summary (.pdf)

What is the SIRS? consumer A3 poster (.pdf)

What is the SIRS? consumer summary (.pdf)

COVID-19 restrictions in residential aged care – your rights fact sheet (.pdf)

On Monday, National Cabinet agreed that the COVID-19 vaccination of residential aged care workers will become mandatory by mid-September 2021.

Residential aged care workers must have received at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by this time.

The requirement will be a condition of working in an aged care facility through shared state, territory and Commonwealth authorities and compliance measures.

The mandatory COVID-19 vaccination of residential aged care workers will be introduced in partnership with state and territories using existing mechanisms.

The Commonwealth will oversee compliance of the mandatory requirement through its reporting and compliances processes with all residential aged care providers.

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COVID-19 Vaccination to become mandatory for Residential aged care workers

Residential aged care providers have an important role in supporting residents and their families, and their workforce, in accessing credible information on COVID-19 vaccines and the critical role vaccines play in protecting against serious disease and death from COVID-19.

With frequent new COVID-19 vaccine developments, it’s normal for people to have questions or concerns, and possibly feel unsure about getting a vaccine.

To support providers to make accurate, evidence-based information available to residents, family members and workers, the Department of Health’s website is a great resource for you to refer to so that you can help people make informed decisions

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Helping you to support residents and workers on COVID-19 vaccination

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

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QI Program interactive modules (link)

Improving aged care quality protections: Options for a Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) in home and community aged care (.pdf)

Aged care reforms – An overview (watch)

COVID-19 vaccination – Why is my residential aged care employer asking me if I have received a COVID-19 vaccination? (.pdf)

COVID-19 vaccination – Why is my in-home and community aged care employer asking me if I have received a COVID-19 vaccination? (.pdf)

COVID-19 vaccination – Guidance for in-home and community aged care providers on reporting of COVID-19 vaccinations of the workforce (.pdf)

2021 Basic daily fee supplement reporting requirements (.pdf)

Transition Care Programme Guidelines (.pdf)

Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) – Payment in arrears and unit pricing fact sheet (.pdf)

AN-ACC Funding Model – An Introduction (.pdf)

AN-ACC Funding Model – Information for people in need of Residential Respite services (.pdf)

AN-ACC Shadow Assessments – Information for Residents (.pdf)

AN-ACC – Shadow Assessment Period (.pdf)

COVID-19 vaccination – Guidance for residential aged care providers on reporting of COVID-19 vaccinations of residents and workers (.pdf)

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program Manual (.pdf)

Improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in aged care (watch)

Aged Care Assessment Quality Framework (.pdf)

ACFI monthly monitoring report – March 2021 (.pdf)

This fact sheet provides a summary of the key legislative changes from 1 July 2021 for providers under the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Quality of Care Principles 2014.

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Restrictive practices – Key changes for providers from 1 July 2021 – fact sheet (.pdf)

The latest chapter of Antimicrobial Stewardship in Australian Health Care is now available – AMS in community and residential aged care.

Chapter 16 highlights antimicrobial use and appropriateness of use in the community and in residential aged care. The chapter discusses infections experienced by older people, strategies to improve antimicrobial use and consideration of the barriers to implementation of these strategies.

Read more:

Chapter 16 – Antimicrobial Stewardship in community and residential aged care (.pdf)

Antimicrobial stewardship in Australian health care (.pdf)