Specialisation Framework: Apply now for your verification tick
Providers delivering specialised care for diverse groups can apply for independent verification marked by a tick on their profile on the My Aged Care website.
Specialisations include care for:
- First Nations peoples
- people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- people living in rural or remote areas
- financially or socially disadvantaged people
- veterans
- people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
- care-leavers
- parents separated from their children by forced adoption or removal
- LGBTI people.
Any specialisations for diverse groups listed on your My Aged Care profile that have not been verified will be removed on 27 February 2023.
Find out how to apply for independent verification and review the Specialisation Framework for more detail.
Rural Locum Assistance Program Aged Care
Rural and remote aged care providers can access workforce support through the Rural Locum Assistance Program (LAP) Aged Care.
The program helps services affected by high staff turnover, sudden departures of key personnel, or those needing to cover staff taking annual leave or time off for training in rural and remote Australia.
Rural LAP Aged Care supports the locum placement of key personnel, including but not limited to, registered nurses, enrolled nurses, and facility managers.
Rural LAP can find a suitable locum, provide incentive payments, and organise and pay for accommodation and travel, and your service pays the locum’s wage for the placement.
Permanent relocation and retention incentive payments are also available.
Find more information on the Rural LAP website.
Latest grant opportunity for aged care research closing soon
Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) conducts research in collaboration with aged care workers, providers, researchers and people who use aged care services. ARIIA is an industry-led, independent and not-for-profit organisation.
Round 4 of ARIIA Research Grants are now open and will close on 17 February.
Grants up to $160,000 (ex GST) are available for research projects that address one of the following priority areas:
- dementia care
- rehabilitation, reablement and restorative care
- mental health and wellbeing
- social isolation
- meaningful lifestyle activities
- palliative care and end of life
- staff burnout
- projects with urgent and critical need.
These grants are made possible with funding from the department.
Find out more on the ARIIA website.
HCP Program Assurance Community of Practice: Live chat session on inclusions and exclusions
The next live chat for the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program Assurance Community of Practice will be held on Thursday 23 February at 11:30am–12:30pm AEDT.
Department staff will be online to answer your questions about HCP Program inclusions and exclusions.
Join us to discuss:
- the updated HCP Program operational manual
- using the inclusions and exclusions framework to support decision making when determining what can and cannot be included as part of an HCP.
All approved HCP providers are welcome to attend. For those who have not yet joined, sign up for the HCP Program Assurance Community of Practice.
For help signing up, email HCPProviderEducation@health.gov.au
Vision Australia webinar: Working with older people experiencing challenging behaviours
Vision Australia is presenting a webinar on Thursday 16 February at 11am‑12noon AEDT to help Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers understand how best to support the specific emotional needs of older people.
As an aged care provider, supporting older people can sometimes be challenging especially if they are experiencing tough health conditions and major life changes.
Vision Australia will share advice on:
- understanding what is driving the challenging behaviour
- becoming aware of emotions and managing unpleasant feelings
- applying techniques that uncover why the individual might be distressed.
Vision Australia is a blind and low vision provider and supports older people. Vision Australia is funded to deliver the Sector Support and Development Program under CHSP.
Residents’ Experience Surveys to commence soon
The 2023 round of the Residents’ Experience Survey (previously known as Consumer Experience Interviews) is set to commence from February 2023.
The survey offers older people in residential aged care the opportunity to share feedback about their quality of care and informs the Residents’ Experience Rating in Star Ratings.
IQVIA, in consortium with Access Care Network Australia and Health Consult, is undertaking the survey and is contacting providers to schedule visits.
The survey continues to include a set of 14 questions that every participant will be asked. This year, several small changes have been made to simplify the process, including modifying question 12. It has been changed from “Do you feel at home here?” to “How likely are you to recommend this residential aged care home to someone?”. These changes reflect feedback from the 2022 interviews.
Details of an upcoming information webinar will be available shortly.
Visit the department’s Residents’ Experience Surveys webpage for more information and to view the 2023 list of questions.
Quarterly Financial and Care Minutes Reports due next week
The second Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) for 2022–23 is due in one week. Approved providers are reminded to submit their quarter 2 QFR through the Forms Administration portal by 14 February.
Providers must ensure that data entered into the Quarterly Financial Statements screen is for the year-to-date. However, data entered on the Residential, Home Care Expenses & Labour Hours, and Food & Nutrition screen should be for the October to December 2022 quarter only.
Late submissions, including failure to respond to requests for resubmission of care minutes data by 7 March, will not be accepted for the Star Ratings process. This will result in a 1 Star Rating for the Staffing sub-category.
View resources to assist with QFR reporting:
For support with care minutes reporting, email qfr@stewartbrown.com.au
A data collection helpdesk is also available. For help, please call (02) 4403 0640 or email enquiries to health@formsadministration.com.au
Contact details for Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) help
Following the successful implementation of the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding model, the ACFR@health.gov.au mailbox will no longer be actively monitored from Friday 17 February 2023.
For general enquiries, residential aged care providers should contact the My Aged Care service provider and assessor helpline on 1800 836 799. This helpline is open 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 10am-2pm Saturday.
Issues that cannot be resolved by the My Aged Care contact centre will then be referred to the department’s AN-ACC Operations Team.
For detailed funding information, providers are encouraged to use the Aged Care Funding Reform resources, including the AN-ACC Funding Guide.