News

In this issue:

• Compulsory reporting by aged care providers
• Nominate now for 60th Australian of the Year Awards

Home Care:

• Awareness of phone scams

Read more:

Information for the Aged Care Sector – Issue 2019/9 (.pdf)

The National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program started on 1 July 2019 and requires all residential aged care service providers to collect data on each care recipient every quarter against the following three quality indicators:

• pressure injuries
• use of physical restraint
• unplanned weight loss.

1 July – 30 September 2019 – providers must collect data for all three quality indicators.

The unplanned weight loss quality indicator has two collection categories:

• significant unplanned weight loss and
• consecutive unplanned weight loss.

All quality indicator data (except for significant unplanned weight loss) is due for submission to the Department of Health by 21 October 2019.

Read more:

Quality Indicator Program: important information on significant unplanned weight loss

National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program Manual 1.0 (.pdf)

Residential Aged Care Funding Reform Trial

The department will trial a new assessment framework for residential aged care funding in late 2019 and early 2020. Between 5,000 and 10,000 aged care residents will be assessed using the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) tool as part of the trial. Find more information on the AN-ACC tool here.

How to participate

We invite residential aged care service providers to submit expressions of interest to participate in the trial.

EOIs should be submitted to ResiFundingTrial@health.gov.au by 31 July 2019. Please include the name of your organisation, facility information, and the details of a key contact (name, position, phone number and email).

All providers participating in the trial will receive a summary overview of the AN-ACC classification profile for each participating facility.

Read more:

Update on residential aged care funding reform

Residential Aged Care Funding Reform Trial: Factsheet (.pdf)

Resource Utilisation and Classification Study

The new Charter of Aged Care Rights is now in effect and all providers have responsibilities, including to:

• give consumers a signed copy of the Charter
• assist consumers to understand the Charter
• ensure that consumers, or their authorised person, are given a reasonable opportunity to sign a copy of the Charter.

Read more:

Timeframes for implementing the new Charter of Aged Care Rights

Charter of Aged Care Rights

Home care providers should by now have met the 1 July 2019 home care pricing requirements. This includes publishing pricing information in the new home care pricing schedule, displayed on the My Aged Care website.

Providers must complete their pricing information against all of their operational My Aged Care service items.

Frequently asked questions have been added to the resource page to help providers complete and comply with the legislative requirement.

Read more:

Reminder to complete home care pricing information

FAQs: 1 July 2019 Improvements to Home Care Pricing Information (.pdf)

Improving home care pricing information

View Queensland Health’s 2019 Communique regarding the:

• provision of antiviral medication for influenza outbreaks in residential aged care facilities;
• aged care notification process to local Public Health Units.

Read more:

Queensland Health Influenza Communique: provision of antiviral medication for influenza outbreaks in residential aged care facilities

Queensland Government providing Oseltamivir for influenza outbreaks in residential aged care facilities (.pdf)

Influenza in residential care facilities

Have you missed any of the ‘Latest News’ released by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission?

Some of the most recent links are below.

Read more:

Aged Care Quality Bulletin #6, Jun 2019

Aged Care Open Disclosure Framework and Guidance (.pdf)

Minimising the use of restraints

Responding to non-compliance with the Aged Care Quality Standards (.pdf)

Regulatory Bulletin – Exclusion of specific dates for unannounced visits (.pdf)

Regulatory Bulletin – Assessment contacts in residential aged care (.pdf)

Issue No. 2019-5

This Regulatory Bulletin outlines the assessment methodology used by quality assessors when undertaking performance assessments under the Quality Standards.

It describes the Commission’s systematic approach to assessment of provider performance as a key element of its regulatory practice.

Read more:

Regulatory Bulletin – Aged Care Quality Standards Performance Assessment Methodology (.pdf)

In Case You Missed It – Below are links to recent articles on Aged Care and Healthcare that may be of interest:

Bupa aged care home in Eden in hot water as watchdog revokes accreditation

Rate changes to make care for low-means residents more expensive

Dementia Care And The Power Of Human Touch

‘Game changer’ set to transform Australia’s aged care sector

Provider Fears Introduction Of New Standards Will Be “Trial And Error”

New standards to be introduced for the aged care sector

Changes to the Aged Care Quality Standards start today

Provider showcases quality person-centred care

Indexation rises not enough to cover costs, peaks say

Non-English speaking Australians in aged care homes risk being forgotten

Aged Care Royal Commission focus for NT and QLD hearings announced

Small SA town creates its own aged care workforce with scholarships, employment

Flu outbreak at aged home to be cleared

Nursing home bonds could add to Bupa woes

New Tool Positive Step In Helping Operators Tackle Chemical Restraint

Calls for hand sanitisers to fight flu as vaccinations urged for aged care visitors

Unvaccinated family putting elderly at risk of flu deaths, health warning

Health practitioners warned against breaching informed consent laws

Lessons for boards from the Aged Care Royal Commission

The Royal Commission is on for the next 2 weeks in:

• Darwin from Monday 8 July 2019 to Friday 12 July 2019, and in

• Cairns from Monday 15 July 2019 to Wednesday 17 July 2019.

At these public hearings the Royal Commission will inquire into:

• aspects of care in residential, home and flexible aged care programs, including:

– accessibility and availability

– wound, medication and pain management

– nutrition and hydration

– continence care

– mobility

– social supports

• rural and regional issues for service delivery of aged care

• quality of life for people receiving aged care

Read more:

Darwin and Cairns Hearing

View live webcasts of hearings, or video recordings of previous hearings