Summary page in the My Aged Care portals
The new and improved Client Summary page is available on the My Aged Care portals and now includes a tracker for each client’s journey. This is available to all providers, assessors and clients using the portals.
For providers and assessors, the tracker means you will be able to quickly see what stage a client is at in their journey.
We seek your assistance in encouraging your clients to register to use the portal through myGov or to contact My Aged Care if they need assistance.
Information available on the portal includes:
- Contact details for assessment and provider organisations
- Personal details and relationships (which can be updated)
- Assessment information, including goals set as part of the process
- Approval for care information
- Service recommendations that assessors have made
- Home care package wait times (as appropriate)
- Delivery status of services
- Information about any heightened support (Reablement and/or linking support)
Additionally, clients and representatives can now choose to receive email notifications when key stages are reached; they can opt into this service through the portal.
Resources and further information to assist with accessing and using the client portal is available on the My Aged Care website.
Feedback on the portals and notifications are welcome and can be provided through the Contact Us page of the My Aged Care website.
Charter of Aged Care Rights – educational activities
The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) is supporting the department in raising awareness and providing education about the Charter of Aged Care Rights.
OPAN will be running new webinars, face-to-face events and a phone information service — 1800 237 981 — for aged care consumers and providers to support understanding of the Charter. This is in addition to the activities already undertaken by OPAN to support the Charter.
More information about these activities is available on OPAN’s website.
More information about the Charter is also available on the department’s website.
Home care pricing compliance monitoring
Since 1 July 2019, it has been a legislative requirement for home care providers to publish their pricing information on the My Aged Care website.
This is part of a range of measures to improve the transparency and comparability of pricing information for senior Australians.
The department is actively monitoring home care providers’ compliance and has written to all home care providers who have not published the mandatory pricing information against all of their operational My Aged Care service items.
Providers are urged to comply with this requirement as soon as possible. The department will take necessary compliance action, where appropriate.
Providers should review their pricing information on the My Aged Care website, noting updates will appear by the next day.
Resources and further information to assist providers is available on the department’s website.
Multi-Purpose Services – Residential Flexible Places Allocations Round is now open
The 2019–20 Flexible Aged Care Places (Multi-Purpose Services) (MPS) Allocations Round opened on 1 October 2019. This a competitive application process for MPS approved providers to apply for flexible aged care places.
MPS approved providers can apply:
- for flexible aged care places — residential (high care) to expand existing services or establish new services
- to change the level of care designated to existing flexible aged care places.
Up to 150 places are available in this round.
You must use the application form to complete your proposal. The application form and further information is available on the department’s website.
The MPS Allocations Round closes 12 November 2019.
If you have any questions please email mpsagedcare@health.gov.au.
Please note that Flexible aged care places (home care) are not allocated in this round.
National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program – first quarter data collection and the introduction of 2 new quality indicators
Residential aged care providers should now have collected quality indicator (QI) data for each of the three QIs for July, August, and September 2019.
The first quarter data must be submitted to the department no later than 21 October 2019.
Check the Program Manual to make sure you have met the mandatory requirements.
The manual includes:
- definitions for each quality indicator
- instructions for collecting and submitting quality indicator data.
New Quality Indicators
The department has engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers to develop two new QIs relating to:
- medication management
- falls and fractures.
Consultation on the development of the two new QIs will start soon. The consultations will also provide an opportunity to provide feedback on the existing QI measures (pressure injuries, use of physical restraint and unplanned weight loss).
In addition, there will be opportunities for approved providers of residential aged care services to be involved in piloting the two new QIs.
Residential Aged Care Funding Reform update
The department is still evaluating tenders for the trial of the Australian National Aged Care Classification funding assessment tool. Tenderers will be advised of the outcomes once finalised, expected to be in October 2019.
The department is also developing training for the workforce of assessors, which is expected to take place in November 2019.
Further information on the trial is available on the department’s website.
Questions on the trial can continue to be emailed to ResiFundingTrial@health.gov.au