What's New?

Direct links to news and updates relating to aged care currently available on our internet site.

In this section:

Latest mailfax advices
Latest mailfax sent by the Ageing and Aged Care Division of the Australian Department of Health and Ageing
Updated as needed

Residential Aged Care Sanctions and Notices of non-compliance
Information on facilities under sanctions action and notices of non-compliance, Ageing & Aged Care Division of the Department of Health and Ageing.
Updated weekly

Aged Care Complaints Scheme: complaint resolution toolkit now available
The Aged Care Complaints Scheme’s new complaint resolution toolkit is now available to help aged care industry effectively handle complaints and to support the introduction of the new framework for complaints resolution.

The toolkit aims to help providers understand their roles, responsibilities and involvement in complaints handling, the components of an effective internal complaint resolution process, and the Scheme’s role and new complaint resolution framework.You can access the toolkit online here: http://agedcarecomplaints.govspace.gov.au/toolkit.

We encourage you to subscribe to Aged Care Complaints Scheme News to receive an email alert whenever we publish new information on the site. This will also keep you informed when updates are made to the toolkit. To subscribe, enter your email address into the ‘Subscribe to updates’ box on the right-hand side of the website.
28 October 2011

Scoping study into Teaching Nursing Homes
In December 2010, the Australian Institute for Social Research (AISR) was commissioned to conduct a scoping study into Teaching Nursing Homes (TNHs). The final report on the scoping study and the accompanying discussion paper are released ahead of the commencement of the proposed call for project proposals to promote the teaching nursing homes concept and facilitate the establishment of innovative teaching and aged care models. These reports will be of interest to potential applicants and other parties involved in establishing such models. The reports describe the existing state of play in Australia and do not attempt to evaluate current practices.
5 October 2011

Protecting Residents’ Savings – arrangements for accommodation bonds
From 1 October 2011, there are clearer and stronger arrangements to protect residents’ savings held in the form of accommodation bonds (bonds). The arrangements clarify the intended purpose for bonds as a source of capital for investment in aged care infrastructure. They also improve governance arrangements for bonds and provide greater transparency and accountability for bonds.
30 September 2011

Revised Residential Care Fees and Charges
Schedule of Fees and Charges: From 20 September 2011

Client Pathway Analysis for the Demonstration Day Respite Pilot in Residential Aged Care Facilities (DDR) Initiative HTML version is now online.
A Client Pathway Survey was conducted in early 2011 as part of the evaluation of the DDR initiative. The survey gathered information on the pathways taken by clients into and out of the DDR service. Data was collected for a total of 232 carers, with the sample representative of the broader population of carers and care recipients involved in the DDR program.
16 September 2011

New Website for the Aged Care Complaints Scheme
The Aged Care Complaints Scheme has launched the Aged Care Complaints Scheme News website, the main source for the latest information about the Aged Care Complaints Scheme and the reforms to strengthen the Scheme.
The site will keep aged care providers, consumers and stakeholders up-to-date on progress implementing reforms to the Scheme; provide information about the complaints process; and address topics of interest through regular blog posts and the 'frequently asked questions' section. The website will also be an important channel for consumers and the industry to provide feedback and help us improve the information we provide.
New information will be posted regularly. Go to http://agedcarecomplaints.govspace.gov.au and save the site as a 'Favourite' to make it easier to check back.

Information for people receiving community aged care
This information is for people receiving care and services through Community Aged Care Packages, Extended Aged Care at Home and Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia packages. In some cases the information will also apply to people receiving services through the National Respite for Carers Program.
23 May 2011

Accreditation Grant Principles 2011
A recent review of the accreditation process indicated that a rewrite of the Accreditation Grant Principles was required in order to remove or amend outdated provisions and streamline the accreditation process.
20 May 2011

Community Packaged Care Guidelines
The Community Packaged Care Guidelines provide a complete guide to Australian Government funded Packaged Care Programs. This document explains the Australian Government's policy and operational context for the Packaged Care Programs.
20 May 2011

Aged Care Education and Training Incentive Program
The Aged Care Education and Training Incentive (ACETI) program will provide incentive payments to eligible aged care workers who undertake specified education and training programs.

Draft Revised Standards for Residential Aged Care
The Department has undertaken a review of the Aged Care Accreditation Standards and has developed a set of revised Standards in consultation with a Technical Reference Group. Initial consultation has been undertaken with the Ageing Consultative Committee and the Department is now undertaking further consultations with the sector through workshops across the country to be held in March and April 2011.

The new approach to aged care complaints: A Department and industry dialogue
The 20th annual Tri-State Conference was held in Albury from 27 February to 1 March 2011, bringing together aged care professionals from NSW, Victoria and South Australia. First Assistant Secretary for the Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance, Iain Scott, and Assistant Secretary for the Aged Care Complaints Scheme, Lucelle Veneros, addressed the sector on the topic The new approach to aged care complaints: a Department and industry dialogue.
17 March 2011

Australian Government Directory of Services for Older People 2011
The Australian Government Directory of Services for Older People has been produced as a comprehensive guide to the wide range of services provided for older Australians by the Australian Government
27 January 2011

The 2008-09 Home and Community Care (HACC) Program Annual Report
This report presents consolidated information on the performance of the national HACC Program in 2008-09 across the states and territories, including against Key Performance Indicators. It also includes client case studies, funding information and a snapshot of HACC clients and services across the states and territories, and research projects undertaken in 2008-09.
24 January 2011

Community Care Common Standards Guide
The Community Care Common Standards have been developed jointly by the Australian Government and State and Territory Governments as part of broader community care reforms to develop common arrangements that help to simplify and streamline the way community care is delivered.
21 January 2011

Information Sheets - Quality Care for Older Australians
Information Sheets concerning Residential Aged Care, Veterans and War Widow(er)s, Home and Community Care and the GST.

Residential Care Manual
The Residential Care Manual 2009, Edition 1 is now available online in PDF format.
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