Code of Conduct for Aged Care now available
A Code of Conduct for Aged Care (Code) will commence on 1 December 2022. A draft of the Code is now available on the Aged Care Engagement Hub.
The Code has been developed in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. It will apply to approved providers, their aged care workers and governing persons and will give older Australians receiving aged care more confidence in the workforce assisting them.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will be responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Code.
The Code is the first element of the Government’s national registration scheme for personal care workers to be implemented.
Visit the Code of Conduct for Aged Care webpage for more information.
Reminder: Aged Care Quality Standards consultation webinar
A reminder that the department is hosting a webinar at 1pm‑3pm AEDT on Monday 17 October to launch consultation on the revised Aged Care Quality Standards.
The webinar will explore:
- why we are undertaking an urgent review including the findings of the Royal Commission
- the review process to date including consultation with experts, older people, peak bodies and the aged care sector
- the strengthened Quality Standards and what changes are proposed
- opportunities available to have your say during the consultation period via focus groups and surveys.
You can submit questions for the panel Q&A session.
HCP Program Assurance Community of Practice: Live chat session
The next live chat session for the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program Assurance Community of Practice will be held at 2pm‑3pm AEDT on Thursday 20 October.
This month, department staff from the Program Assurance Branch will be online to answer your questions about pricing transparency. Join us to discuss:
- the current pricing transparency assurance review
- provider obligations regarding pricing transparency.
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
Reminder: Aged care reform pulse survey
The department wants to hear from aged care stakeholders to understand the current level of awareness of the aged care reforms, and how prepared you feel for upcoming aged care changes and activities. Your input is important to us.
You can help shape the implementation of aged care reforms by completing a short survey – it should take no longer than 10 minutes.
The survey has been extended for a week, and now closes on 14 October. Please share this link and encourage others to be involved.
We will be conducting similar surveys every 8 weeks, so be sure to have your say.
Dementia Australia webinar and BrainTrack app launch
Dementia Australia is presenting a webinar with Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler and Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells to share their vision on dementia care.
Dementia Australia will also launch their free BrainTrack app, developed with Deakin University. The app is a useful tool and conversation starter to support health care professionals and their patients. It will also contribute to a more timely diagnosis of dementia for many Australians.
You are invited to the webinar at 11:15am-12noon AEDT on Thursday 13 October. Questions can be submitted via the registration before the webinar.
Register for the webinar at EventBrite.
National Aged Care Data Strategy consultation: A chance to have your say
The Department of Health and Aged Care is partnering with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) to progress a national aged care data system.
As part of this work, we are hosting a webinar to talk with providers, advisory groups, aged care industry representatives, researchers, academics, older Australians and consumer groups, and hear your feedback on the data strategy.
Join us at 2:30pm‑3:30pm AEDT on Wednesday 12 October.
The webinar will cover our approach to developing the aged care data strategy and detail other opportunities to get involved. It will be run by representatives from the department, AIHW and Nous Group, who are supporting the consultations.
Please note this is a repeat of the webinar held on 5 October.
Register your interest in the webinar.
Employer Engagement Webinars: Expanding the Aged Care Workforce through Australian Apprenticeships (Traineeships)
The department is hosting a series of employer engagement webinars, in partnership with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
This second webinar will cover Australian Apprenticeships (Traineeships) available to residential aged care, home care and Commonwealth Home Support Programme providers to:
- develop new care staff
- advance the skills of current aged care workers.
The session will be held at 12noon-1:30pm AEDT on Wednesday 26 October.
Learn about the training pathways and supports available. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions.
If you have any questions or need help with registering, contact AgedCareWorkforceReform@Health.gov.au.
The recording and slides from the first webinar, Attracting Workers into Aged Care, is now available.
National Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program
Would you know what to do if someone you support was experiencing thoughts of suicide?
Anglicare’s Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program equips those who support older people with the knowledge to help prevent suicide.
The free program has expanded nationally and includes a general suicide prevention online course followed by a workshop contextualising the training for older people. The two parts should only take a total of 3 hours to complete.
The program is funded by the NSW and Australian governments. To be eligible, you need to be working with older people and have internet access.
If you are interested, please email Anglicare at suicide.prevention@anglicare.org.au or visit the Anglicare website.
Submitting ACFI appraisals after 1 October 2022
The Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) was replaced by the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding model on 1 October 2022.
Approved providers will be paid ACFI funding for care provided up to 30 September 2022. AN‑ACC funding will be paid from 1 October 2022.
Find more information about ACFI appraisal and reappraisal submissions after 1 October 2022 on the ACFI website.
My Aged Care Service and Support Portal: Explainer videos and systems process map
The Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) commenced on 1 October 2022.
Explainer videos on using new functionality in the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal for AN‑ACC are now available:
- Requesting reclassifications and reconsideration
- Entering a palliative care resident
- Accessing care minutes targets
A process map has also been developed to help providers understand the system actions they must complete from when a resident enters into care and thereafter, based on their care type.
For more information about AN-ACC, see the AN-ACC Funding Guide and aged care funding reform webpage.
National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program data due 21 October 2022
Approved providers of residential aged care services must submit quality indicator data by Friday 21 October, for the 5 existing measures collected over the 1 July‑30 September 2022 quarter.
Quality indicator data will be published on My Aged Care as part of Star Ratings for all residential aged care services. Late or non-submission of data is expected to result in a 1 Star Rating for this sub-category and reduce a service’s overall Star Rating.
Find more about the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) and Star Ratings on the department’s website.
Keep up to date with latest information on aged care reforms by visiting the department’s Aged Care Engagement Hub.
Specialist Dementia Care Program grant opportunity now open for two Queensland regions
The Specialist Dementia Care Program (SDCP) provides care for people exhibiting very severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia who are unable to be appropriately cared for by mainstream aged care services. Thirty-five SDCP units will be established nationally, with a unit in each of the 31 Primary Health Network (PHN) regions.
The SDCP Grant Opportunity (GO5304) is now open for applications from eligible aged care providers located within these PHN regions in Queensland:
- Darling Downs and West Moreton
- Gold Coast.
Find information about how to apply on the GrantConnect website.
For any specific questions about this grant opportunity email grant.atm@health.gov.au
Applications close 2pm AEDT, Tuesday 6 December.
Grant rounds for the remaining PHN regions will be held over the next two years.
Reminder: Accommodation costs for a low-means resident in an extra service place
Low-means aged care residents are liable to pay an extra service fee if they enter an extra service place.
These residents have the choice to pay for their accommodation as a:
- daily accommodation contribution (DAC), as calculated by Services Australia
- lump sum refundable accommodation contribution (RAC)
- combination of both.
You cannot charge a low-means resident:
- the agreed room price
- an accommodation contribution above the amount calculated by Services Australia
- an accommodation payment, irrespective of how their means change after entry.
If you have charged or are charging a low-means resident an amount greater than the DAC calculated by Services Australia, you must cease immediately and refund the incorrect amounts charged.
Learn more on the Fees for people entering residential aged care from 1 July 2014 webpage on the department’s website.
Reminder: Wellness and reablement report for CHSP providers
Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers can now submit their 2022 Wellness and Reablement Report via the Citizen Space Portal.
The link to the online reporting template was sent to providers in late September. Please contact your Funding Arrangement Manager (FAM) if you didn’t receive a link.
Reports must be completed by Wednesday 30 November.
If you have any questions about the Wellness and Reablement Report, please contact your FAM or email wellnessandreablement@health.gov.au