News

The department has considered the concerns of peak sector and allied health representatives regarding its recently published information about allied health professionals with ‘limited’ registration and pain management services under ACFI 12.4a and 12.4b.

In summary, allied health professionals with ‘limited’ registration will be eligible to provide pain management services under ACFI 12.4a and 12.4b provided that they are:

• operating within their scope of practice
• being supervised according to the terms of their registration.

Read more:

Further advice on limited registration – ACFI 12.4a and 12.4b

Department to consult sector on allied health professionals with limited registration providing complex health care services under ACFI 12.4a and 12.4b

Question 5 –Registration requirements for ACFI 12.4a and b

The 2017-18 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997 is now available to download on the GEN Aged Care Data website.

The report details the operation of Australia’s aged care system during the 2017–18 financial year as well as a snapshot of the system as a whole. It is delivered to Parliament each year by the Minister in accordance with section 63-2 of the Aged Care Act 1997.

Read more:

2017-18 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997 now available

2017–18 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997 (.pdf)

Infographics – ROACA key facts (.pdf)

The new Aged Care Quality Standards (Standards) have been developed through significant consultation and co-design with the aged care sector. The Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP has announced this important reform.

The new Standards have now been made in law and will take effect from 1 July 2019.

Read more:

New Aged Care Quality Standards are in law

Aged Care Quality Standards

New information on Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) 12 Complex Health Care pain management items has been added to the department’s website under ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

This is in response to multiple questions about who qualifies as a health professional for the provision of these services.

• It is expected that for the purposes of providing complex pain management treatments under ACFI items 12.4a and 12.4b allied health professionals will hold ‘general’ registration issued by the National Board for their profession.

• It is important to note the health professional providing the treatment must be acting within their scope of practice. This means they must only provide treatment which they are qualified to provide.

Read more:

FAQ – ACFI 12 Complex Health Care – Pain Management

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

Who’s watching? South Australia to debate making CCTV option for all aged care residents

Should Aged Care Workers Be Allowed To Attend Resident Funerals?

Deadly legionella bacteria detected in 170 Queensland hospitals and aged care centres

Govt adds new safeguards to My Health Record

Senate forces My Health Record opt-out extension

‘There’s no personal care for her’: Life for a 102-year-old in Bupa aged care

Bill offers opportunity to ‘opt in’ for CCTV in residents rooms

Royal commission leads to spike in complaints

Resident medication issues raised with Minister

ACFI update challenges pain management practices

Breaking Royal Commission news heard at ITAC 2018

Providers asked to give a five-year history of cases of poor care

The Royal Commission will hold a preliminary hearing in Adelaide in December 2018.

The Commission has written to the 100 largest providers of age services nationally asking them to submit a range of information by 7th January.

All other service providers will be asked to submit information at a later date in February.

Some of the questions asked:

• Since 1 July 2013, have there been any occasions when your service or outlet has provided substandard care, including mistreatment and all forms of abuse?
• Since 1 July 2013, has your service or outlet received any complaints or had complaints made about them in relation to substandard care, including mistreatment and all forms of abuse?
• Since 1 July 2013, what (if anything) has your service or outlet done: (a) to ensure that the services it provides are of high quality and safe?
• As at 30 June 2018, did your service or outlet provide services to people younger than 65?
• Does your service or outlet experience difficulties in accessing health care for care recipients?
• What further changes (if any) could your service or outlet make to provide services of higher quality and greater safety and to improve individual outcomes?

Read more:

23 NOV 2018 – Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety – Letter (.pdf)

NOTE:

Manad Plus users should be able to find a lot of this data easily if you have been documenting everything, see:

• Feedback (Complaint records)
• Adverse Events (Incident records)
• Personnel Courses & Personnel Communication
• Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plans
• ACFI
• Audits
• Case Conference
• Maintenance
• Birthday Report

New single Aged Care Quality Standards will empower senior Australians and ensure responsibility and accountability for their care, as the Morrison Government implements the most significant changes to quality standards in two decades.

The boards and governing bodies of aged care providers will be clearly accountable for every one of their consumers’ safety and quality of care.

Providers delivering clinical care will be mandated to maintain quality clinical frameworks including infection control, open disclosure to consumers, their families and representatives, and minimising the use of restraint.

Quality care provision will be paramount, with aged care providers required to prove their care and services are safe, effective and focussed on their consumers, including through unannounced visits.

Read more:

New Quality Standards for Better Aged Care (.pdf)

The Aged Care Financing Authority (ACFA) report on the review into respite care is now available online.

Read more:

ACFA Respite Review report now available

ACFA’s Report on respite for aged care recipients (.pdf)

A new era in Australian aged care is beginning, with legislation passing Parliament to establish the nation’s first, independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

The unified new Commission will begin operations on 1 January 2019, with funding of almost $300 million over four years, including an additional $48.2 million to expand monitoring, secure aged care quality and employ a network of dozens of additional senior compliance officers.

The Commission will be underpinned by a new aged care Charter of Rights and is set to enforce a new, single set of Quality Standards, the first upgrade of standards in 20 years.

The Commission will integrate and streamline the governance roles of the current Aged Care Complaints Commissioner and the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency creating a new one stop shop. From January 2020, it will also enforce the Department of Health’s aged care licensing responsibilities.

Read more:

Powerful New Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (.pdf)

The high-risk season for major Australian weather events and bushfires is approaching. It is important that all aged care providers are well prepared and able to respond to emergency events.

Maintaining quality care under these circumstances requires effective emergency risk management and planning.

Read more:

Industry alert: emergency planning for aged care services

Risk Management for Emergency Events in Aged Care