News

If the Australian aged care system is to meet the many challenges it faces in the years ahead, research, innovation and technology are vital. The Royal Commissioners are investigating whether the aged care sector and the Australian Government are doing enough to foster much needed developments.

The Royal Commissioners will hold a hearing in the form of a workshop in Adelaide on Monday 16 March and Tuesday 17 March 2020.

During this workshop, Counsel Assisting will explore with a wide range of Australian and overseas witnesses whether there are barriers in the current system to fostering innovation, translating research into practice, and using technology to improve the lives of older Australians, and if so, what can be done to overcome those barriers.

Evidence will be led about exciting innovations taking place in aged care, including those designed to help people stay in their own homes for longer. Witnesses will be asked about how those innovations can be more widely used.

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Adelaide Workshop 2 – Research, Innovation and Technology

The complete transcript from Friday 21 February 2020 hearing of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is now available to read on the Commission website.

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Adelaide Hearing 4 – Wednesday 4 March 2020 – Transcript (.pdf)

At the COAG Health Council meeting on 28 February 2020, the Commonwealth Government announced it will not proceed with the current tender process to engage a single aged care assessment workforce. The Government will take advice from state and territory governments and the Royal Commission on Aged Care Quality and Safety on any future changes to the delivery of aged care assessment services.

In light of this announcement, the webinar planned for 11 March 2020 on the new aged care assessment arrangements is cancelled.

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Webinar on new aged care assessment arrangements cancelled

The Government has provided funding through its mid-year budget process for the Commission to expand its processes in relation to responding to compulsory reports.

From 1 March 2020, Commission staff will be looking more closely at incident reports in relation to risk assessment and may follow up with individual approved providers to determine the outcome of internal investigations undertaken in response to incidents.

In some cases, providers may be requested to provide additional evidence of actions taken such as staff training and amendments to resident care plans or behaviour charts. Alternatively, or in addition to this, a site visit may be conducted in particular cases to collect additional information, including through staff and resident interviews. Depending on the findings, further regulatory action may be considered.

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Additional risk assessment of compulsory reports

Dear aged care service provider,

Re: Advice regarding COVID-19 (novel coronavirus)

I am writing to provide updated advice regarding COVID-19 (formerly known as novel coronavirus) to all aged care service providers, including providers of residential aged care services, home services and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care program.

While the number of cases of COVID-19 is currently small in Australia, it is possible that this situation could change at any time, and providers of all services need to give a high priority to planning and being prepared for this scenario. I refer you to the important advice on this matter issued to aged care providers by Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy on 26 February 2020.

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Commissioner’s letter to aged care providers (.pdf)

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission – Proportionate risk-based regulatory response to COVID-19 (.pdf)

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will hold a hearing in Adelaide on the morning of Wednesday 4 March 2020 for the purpose of hearing submissions from Senior Counsel Assisting, Peter Gray QC, on aged care program redesign.

The submissions that Mr Gray QC is expected to make will address central elements of program design in light of Consultation Paper 1 – Aged care program redesign: services for the future and evidence from witnesses at Adelaide Workshop 1.

These will include: information and navigation, care assessment, ‘care finders’, reablement, respite, and aged care settings including home care, residential care and innovative models of care and accommodation. Mr Gray QC will outline Counsel Assisting’s current proposals for future aged care program design.

The hearing will be held in:

• Court 11, Level 3, Roma Mitchell Building, Commonwealth Law Courts, Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000, beginning at 10.00am (ACDT).

Following the hearing, Counsel Assisting’s written submissions on program redesign will be published, and there will be a general invitation for written submissions in response by Wednesday 18 March 2020.

There will be no need for anyone wishing to make a submission to obtain leave to appear at the hearing. There will be no witnesses at this hearing.

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Hearings

Consultation Paper 1 – Program Design in Aged Care (.pdf)

In this edition:

• Commissioner message
• Getting to know the Standards – Standard 6 Feedback and complaints
• Alis – our new online learning solution – is live
• Consumer engagement resources
• Additional risk assessment of compulsory reports
• From the Chief Clinical Advisor
• Assessing the Standards workshops – still time to book

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Aged Care Quality Bulletin #14 February 2020

The Government recently announced a Business Improvement Fund to support eligible residential care providers improve their business operations.

The fund will provide targeted grant based assistance to providers at greatest risk of service failure, particularly where the impacts on residents would be highest.

The first phase of the application process has now commenced with the release of the Business Case Template which providers will be required to submit as part of their application, along with independent business advice.

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Commencement of Business Improvement Fund Application Process

Business Improvement Fund for residential care

PWC – Business advisory services for aged care providers

In the 2019-20 Budget, the Australian Government announced improvements to payment arrangements for home care packages. This will align home care with other Government-funded programs where providers are paid in arrears and for actual services delivered once they are delivered.

Last year, the Aged Care Financing Authority (ACFA) consulted with home care providers on the potential financial impact of these changes. The department also consulted with providers on the non-financial impacts.

Having considered the outcome of those consultations it has been determined that phase 1, home care payments in arrears will commence on 1 June 2020.

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Improvements to payment administration arrangements for home care packages

DoH – Improved Payment Arrangements for Home Care

In this issue:

• Update on the Specialist Dementia Care Program
• Commencement date on Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) assessments
• COMPASS website and 1800ElderHelp (1800 353 374) line

Read more:

Information for the Aged Care Sector – Issue 2020/3 (.pdf)