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Aged Care Complaints

Strengthening the Aged Care Complaints Scheme: Our progress

Presentation of 9 June 2011.

Today’s presentation

• Strengthening the Aged Care Complaints Scheme: Where are we up to?
• Proposed complaint management framework
• Other significant work underway:
  • Strategic plan
  • Our Service Commitment
  • Managing difficult behaviours
  • Performance measures
  • Consultation and communication

Where are we up to?

• Improvements progressively rolling out since July 2010, including:
  • comprehensive staff training
  • improved internal communication and engagement
  • Clinical Unit established
  • long-wait cases addressed
  • engagement with the aged care sector
  • significant work happening in other areas – I’ll cover this today.
• Industry should be seeing improvements already, including:
  • early identification and communication of the issues being examined
  • improved communication throughout the process
  • clearer Statement of Reasons
  • some concerns being addressed during the intake phase.

Complaints management framework

• Framework seeks to address industry feedback:
  • expanding the range of resolution options: approved provider resolution, supported resolution, conciliation, investigation, mediation
  • encouraging local resolution where possible
  • risk assessment of complaints
  • focus is on achieving a sustainable and quality outcome
  • broadening review rights.
• Discussion paper published on National Health Reform website as a basis for consultation; face-to-face discussions occurred with a range of stakeholders.
• 42 submissions, including from the Aged Care Industry Council.

Complaints management framework

• What industry told us:
  • Framework is an important and timely step
  • Broadly supportive of the proposed framework
  • Appropriate for residential and community care
  • Support greater focus on resolution by approved providers
  • Support continued training for Scheme staff to strengthen natural justice
  • Scheme should encourage complainants to communicate with the approved provider in the first instance in marketing information
  • Greater clarity around the role of the Scheme and the Agency.
• We are currently drafting the legislative changes required to support implementation.

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Strategic plan

Our vision:

• To improve and protect the safety and wellbeing of aged care recipients
  • Four-year plan to strengthen the Scheme:
  • 2010-11 (Phase 1): Get the basics right and prepare for change
  • 2011-12 (Phase 2): Implement and communicate change
  • 2012-13 (Phase 3): Communicate outcomes and influence industry
  • 2013-14 (Phase 4): Lead good practice in complaints management.
• Strategic Plan will be available on the Scheme’s website
  Aged Care Complaints

Our Service Commitment

• Our service charter needs to reflect the strengthened approach to complaints management.
• It will guide our staff in ensuring delivery of a quality, procedurally fair and robust complaints service.
• It will help industry and consumers to understand our scope, service standards, rights and responsibilities.
• Consultation currently underway. Have your say via our website
  Aged Care Complaints
• ‘Our Service Commitment’ will be released in 2011-12.

Managing unreasonable conduct

• The Scheme currently has no mechanism in place to appropriately handle unreasonable complainant behaviours.
• A policy has been developed that is consistent with the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s work.
• Responding to complainant concerns is our core business, however our staff need to be supported in managing difficult or challenging conversations.
• Consultation on the draft policy is currently underway with the technical reference group.

Performances measures

• Transparency and accountability were key themes in the Walton Review.
• A performance management plan has been developed that aims to:
  • contribute to customer-focused approach to resolving complaints
  • ensure we resolve complaints in a consistent and responsive manner
  • provide a basis for continual review and use performance information to improve policies and processes.
  • Performance measures draw upon areas of concern identified in the Walton Review, good practice and reforms priorities.
• Measures will look at timeliness, satisfaction, awareness, access, training, natural justice, fairness, quality, communication.
• Measures will be published later in 2011-12 and reported against.

Consultation and communication

• Aged Care Complaints website is now live:
  • Aged Care Complaints
  • Updates on reforms
  • Materials and topics for industry feedback
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Central point for complaints information.
• Technical reference group providing invaluable input – complaints framework and other materials
• New consumer materials being tested with consumer groups, advocacy services, the technical reference group and Vision Australia. Industry concerns are being addressed eg anonymous complaints.
• We will be consulting the technical reference group on best approach to work with the industry in ensuring good complaints handling.

Thank you

Any questions?

Lucelle Veneros
Assistant Secretary
Aged Care Complaints Scheme
Department of Health and Ageing

Email: Aged Care Complaints

Online: Aged Care Complaints
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