Early experiences of the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) have been shared by residential aged care providers at a virtual roundtable with the Commission.
Ten providers drawn from regional and metropolitan Australia participated in a roundtable convened by the Commission on 9 June. They shared their feedback about SIRS implementation challenges, ideas for improvement, and early benefits from the scheme. Provider peak organisations were also represented.
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In just a few days’ time, the updated and expanded National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) will commence.
From 1 July, approved providers of residential aged care are required to report quarterly on new or revised quality indicators across 5 crucial clinical areas. From this date, you must start collecting the following data, as detailed in the Department of Health’s National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program Manual – 2.0 – Part A
Read more:
National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program Manual – 2.0 – Part A (Final version) (.pdf)
National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program Manual 2.0 – Part C (.pdf)
National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program FAQs (.pdf)
Information Sheet for Clinical Care Teams (.pdf)
Information Sheet for GPs and Allied Health Professionals (.pdf)
Information Sheet for Consumers and their Families (.pdf)
Information Sheet for Board Directors and Senior Executives (.pdf)
QI Program poster (.pdf)
Residential aged care providers (and multi-purpose services) providing permanent residential aged care who also support participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) have responsibilities under both the Aged Care Act 1997 and the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013.
One provider responsibility addressed by both Acts relates to worker screening checks. Under aged care legislation, an approved provider has to comply with police certificate requirements, while under NDIS legislation, a registered provider has to comply with the NDIS Worker Screening Check requirements for workers in risk-assessed roles. A risk-assessed role is a worker or volunteer who provides direct delivery of care to an NDIS participant.
Recognising that there was unnecessary duplication in these responsibilities, Federal Parliament has amended aged care legislation effective from 16 June 2021 to enable an aged care provider to accept a clearance obtained through the NDIS Worker Screening Check process as an alternative to the police certificate requirements for a particular worker.
Read more:
Recognising NDIS worker screening – for aged care providers that are registered NDIS providers (.pdf)
Recognising NDIS worker screening – for aged care providers that are not registered NDIS providers (.pdf)
Police certificate or a NDIS worker screening clearance for aged care workers (.pdf)
Worker screening requirements (registered NDIS providers)
Police Certificate Guidelines for Aged Care Providers (.pdf)
The Morrison Government is extending emergency leave arrangements for people living permanently in residential aged care who want to temporarily relocate with family to reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19.
The 12-month extension means the emergency leave provisions are now in place until 30 June 2022.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the extension allows aged care residents to continue to take emergency leave during unpredictable COVID-19 outbreaks, rather than using their limited social leave entitlements.
“We want to provide certainty and reassurance to residents who wish to temporarily relocate and stay with family at times when COVID-19 is a risk in their aged care residence,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The Morrison Government is providing two tiers of support available through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) for people taking emergency leave.
“This includes personal care and nursing services, as well as entry level supports, such as meals and transport.”
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Minister Colbeck has announced an extension to the emergency leave provision for permanent aged care residents for a further 12 months, until 30 June 2022.
This will allow aged care residents to continue to take emergency leave during unpredictable COVID-19 outbreaks, rather than using and potentially exhausting their social leave entitlements. The continued availability of emergency leave will provide certainty and reassurance to residents who wish to temporarily relocate to stay with family at these times.
Aged care homes will continue to be paid residential care subsidy when residents are on emergency leave, ensuring neither residents nor providers are disadvantaged.
Read more:
Emergency leave for aged care residents extended to 30 June 2022
Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Information for permanent aged care residents – emergency leave (.pdf)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Information for residential aged care providers – emergency leave (.pdf)
Mandatory Vaccinations for Aged Care Workers
The National Cabinet agreed to mandate that at least the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine be administered by mid-September 2021 for all residential aged care workforce.
The National Cabinet agreed that COVID-19 vaccinations are to be mandated for residential aged care workers as a condition of working in an aged care facility through shared state, territory and Commonwealth authorities and compliance measures.
This is the third time AHPPC has considered this matter. They will continue to look at the issue to ensure we do not encounter any unintended consequences as an outcome of this decision.
The Commonwealth will support this decision though an employee vaccination support grant.
Residential Aged Care COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Support Grant
Residential aged care workers will be supported to be vaccinated through an $11 million program to enable them to attend off-site vaccination centres and GPs.
Under the grant, Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) will be paid for the following three categories of eligible expenditure:
• Casual staff going off-site for vaccination – a flat fee of $80 payable per staff member, per dose;
• Paid leave for casual staff who become unwell after vaccination and do not have other leave entitlements – one day’s paid leave (at a rate of $185) for up to a quarter of the provider’s total number of casual staff; and
• Facilitation of off-site vaccination for employees – up to $500 per site in flexible vaccination facilitation costs per site, which may be used for activities like: transport services, arranging groups of staff to be vaccinated and or any other reasonable expenses that incentivise staff to get vaccinated.
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Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) providers can now apply for a grant to undertake minor capitals projects that directly relate to the provision of residential aged care as part of the upcoming MPS Program Minor Capital Grant Opportunity. Up to $40m is available over two years starting in 2020-21.
Invitation to apply for minor capital projects
MPS providers are invited to apply to:
• upgrade or extend existing premises
• purchase equipment, including furniture and fittings
• make upgrades to improve aged care service environment for people with dementia and developing a homelike environment
• The maximum amount of funding available is up to $600,000 (GST exclusive) per Multi-Purpose Service.
Applicants must contribute at least 20% of the total project cost as an in-kind or cash co-contribution.
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Multi-Purpose Services Program – Minor Capital Grant Opportunity Round (GO4856) – opens today
The Morrison Government is providing $40 million over two years for multi-purpose residential aged care providers to carry out minor capital works.
In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the capital grant opportunity is another vital step in reinforcing multi-purpose services (MPS) which play an important part in providing care in regional and remote areas.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the investment will ensure the care of residents, particularly those in regional and remote areas, remained a priority.
“Australia has 179 MPS in outer regional and remote areas, in all states, the Northern Territory and Norfolk Island, providing health and aged care services to small communities,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Combined these MPS offer 3,688 flexible aged places in either residential aged care or home care settings.
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Supporting and improving aged care in rural and remote Australia
The Morrison Government is investing $42.8 million to strengthen the health and well-being of senior Australians living in residential aged care by increasing face-to-face contact with their GP.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said Australians living in residential aged care will now better health care with increased access to their GPs.
“This funding boost provides an additional 120,000 GP services to senior Australians living in aged care facilities,” Minister Hunt said.
“It is part of our $17.7 billion response to the Aged Care Royal Commission. We recognise the importance of improving health care for people in residential aged care and this is essential in ensuring senior Australians are treated with respect, care and dignity.”
This program will support the 244,000 Australians who are in permanent residential aged care.
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In this edition:
• Infection Control and Prevention (IPC)
• WA Health – lockdown and visitor restrictions
• NT CHO – Amended direction
• QLD Health – update
• SA Health – Visitor restrictions and IPC for RACFs
• Support services
Read more:
Protecting Older Australians – COVID-19 Update – 28 June 2021
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