Sector news:
• Webinar reminder: Greater transparency about aged care providers and services – new reporting requirements
• Webinar: Writing illness – A narrative approach to the psychological challenges of illness
For home care providers:
• Reforming in-home aged care webinar recording and FAQs now available
For residential care providers:
• Updated resources on the 24/7 registered nurse responsibility
• Free food and nutrition training modules for aged care homes
Read more:
This report includes information, data and insights into how aged care providers performed in Quarter 3 (Q3) 2023. Q3 covers the period from 1 January to 31 March 2023.
The report uses information collected by the Aged Care Safety and Quality Commission.
Most frequently cited requirements where non-compliance was found
1. 3a: Safe and effective personal and clinical care
2. 8c: Effective governance systems
3. 8d: Risk management systems and practices
4. 3b: High impact or high prevalence risks managed effectively
5. 7a: Number and mix of workforce
Most common complaint issues
1. Medication administration and management
2. Personal and oral hygiene
3. Personnel – number/sufficiency
4. Representative/family consultation and communication
5. Falls prevention and post fall management
Read more:
In this webinar, Lisa Peterson PSM, Assistant Commissioner Sector Capability, discussed how the program will support the rollout of the strengthened Quality Standards, developed as part of the review of the Aged Care Quality Standards.
The webinar will also cover how the program will help:
• older people receiving care understand what they should expect from their providers
• providers be clear about their obligations to the people receiving their care
• the Commission be prepared to implement the new audit methodology.
Watch:
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission webinar – Stronger Standards, Better Aged Care program
Slides:
Stronger Standards, Better Aged Care Program webinar slides – 20 June 2023 (.pptx)
In this edition:
• Upcoming Webinar: Aged care COVID-19 update – 26 June 2023
• Deputy CMO interview with OPAN’s Val Fell
• 2023 COVID-19 vaccination booster dose
• How to get your 2023 COVID-19 booster
• Reminder: IPC Lead Nurse training grants closing 30 June 2023
• Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) kits
• Triple capability RAT kits TGA approved
Read more:
This clinical alert follows the preventable death of an aged care resident as a direct result of being administered medications that were not prescribed for them.
The coroner noted the resident’s death was due to a series of systemic errors and a wholesale lack of adequate checks and balances occurring when the service was transitioning from their original paper-based, handwritten medication charts to an electronic medication management (EMM) system.
Key points
• In this instance, the resident’s preventable death was linked to factors associated with the service’s implementation of a new electronic medication management (EMM) system. However, the circumstances of this death also underscore the importance for all residential aged care services of ensuring that they have ironclad protocols in place to prevent medication errors occurring at any time.
• When changing, updating, or transcribing a resident’s medication record/chart, it is strongly recommended that there is an effective process involving at least 2 people independently checking the medication records.
• GPs and prescribers should be aware of their overarching responsibility in signing either electronically generated or handwritten medication charts.
• It is important that residential aged care services conduct regular medication audits reporting to their medications advisory committee, and promptly address any issues detected.
• Where possible, ensure residents are informed about what medications they are taking. This can provide another layer of safety. Staff, residents, and involved family members should feel empowered to raise concerns or issues about residents’ medications.
• Ensure the 6 ‘rights’ of administering medication are carried out every time: the right medication; the right dose; the right person; the right time; the right route; and the right documentation. Errors regarding these 6 fundamentals of medication management were frequently identified in analysis of medication related complaints to the Commission, indicating that more caution is required.
Read more:
Clinical Alert: Preventing medication transcribing and dispensing errors in residential aged care
News about the reforms:
• Information on the aged care wage increase
• Quality indicator reporting: New process via GPMS
• OPAN webinar: Star Ratings, 24/7 nursing and Home Care Packages
Sector news:
• Action required: Registered Nurses’ Payment grant agreements
• Display your diverse needs specialised services on My Aged Care
• Reminder: Aged Care Provider Workforce Survey closing soon
• Commission webinar: Co-designing for the Future of Aged Care
• Reminder: People and perceptions in palliative care: workforce insights free event
For residential care providers:
• Emergency leave for aged care residents extended to 31 December 2023
Read more:
The Australian Government is providing $1.3 million to Beechworth Health Service to roll out and evaluate a tool that improves care planning for older Australians across what matters to them, medications, mobility and mental health.
The Indigo 4Ms tool – which was co-designed with local communities and health and aged care stakeholders – will be rolled out to six rural health services across north-east Victoria, along with training to primary care clinicians on how to use it.
The tool provides structure to the care of older people, ensuring that health care professionals:
• understand and act on a person’s values, priorities, goals and care preferences
• screen for high-risk medications and prescribe medicines effectively
• support patients to stay mobile and take part in physical activity that suits their ability
• assess and ensure adequate hydration, nutrition and sleep
• screen, assess and manage vision, hearing, incontinence, cognitive decline and depression.
Read more:
Approved providers must satisfy aged care worker screening requirements under the Aged Care Act (1997) (Cth) (the Act) and the Accountability Principles 2014, to ensure that persons with certain criminal convictions do not provide aged care.
On 16 June 2021, amendments were made to the Act to recognise a National Disability Insurance Scheme Worker Screening Clearance Check (NDIS Check) for screening requirements in some circumstances.
The rules are different for approved providers that are also registered NDIS providers.
Read more:
Aged care worker screening requirements: when will NDIS Worker Screening Checks suffice?
News about the reforms:
• Minister Wells outlines the future of reform
• Aged Care Reform Roadmap has been released
• Webinar, Thursday 15 June: Aged care wage increase
• Government Provider Management System: New reporting apps coming soon
• Reminder: Consultation on the new model for regulating aged care closing soon
Sector news:
• Quarterly Financial Snapshot of the aged care sector: Q2, 2022 23
• Decommissioning fax for My Aged Care
• Release of the Nurse Practitioner Workforce Plan
• Aged Care Nursing Clinical Placements Program
• Free event: People and perceptions in palliative care: Workforce insights
• Webinar: Greater transparency about aged care providers and services – new reporting requirements
• Dementia Training Australia: Behaviour and dementia
• Webinar: Elder abuse, dementia and decision-making capacity
• National Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program
For home care providers:
• CHSP providers: 2024-25 extension and recovering unspent grant funding
Read more:
The Australian Government will increase the Home Care Packages (HCP) subsidy rate by 11.9% (including annual indexation) from 1 July 2023 to pass on the Fair Work Commission’s 15% award wage increase and ensure HCP recipients continue to receive the same level of care and services.
All care recipients’ HCPs will increase by 11.9% to cover the cost of the wage rise for aged care workers, as well as other increases in prices. This increase is less than 15% to account for the fact that many care recipients use their HCP to access goods, equipment, allied health and home modifications, which are not impacted by the wage increase, alongside their nursing and personal care services.
Read more:
Home Care Packages subsidy rate to increase from 1 July 2023 to cover the cost of increased wages
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