The first trial considers how to apply the 24/7 registered nurse obligations in the MPSP.
The second considers how to provide assurance that residents in an MPS have access to sufficient levels of direct care. This follows the implementation of care minutes requirements in mainstream residential care homes.
Trial of the 24/7 registered nurse responsibility
The first stage of the 24/7 registered nurse trial is now complete and phase two is underway. Phase one demonstrated that almost all multi-purpose services (MPS) are already meeting the requirements in place for mainstream residential care homes.
Governments and MPS providers are now working together to consider how to implement ongoing reporting requirements.
Formal implementation will follow on a date to be agreed by the government and the states and territories. In the meantime, trial arrangements will continue.
Trial for direct care targets
Phase 2 consists of two steps, the first was a trial of AN-ACC assessments in MPS to identify direct care targets. 16 MPS trial sites participated with residents receiving an AN-ACC assessment using the current mainstream Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) assessment process. This information was used to determine what care targets would be required in a residential care setting and outcomes provided to trial sites and state and territory representatives.
The second step is a time-in-motion study. Approximately 35 MPS will participate in the study, which will identify how much time staff spend between the health and aged care sections within the MPS.
The trial is the first step to determining what obligations need to be introduced in the MPSP. For more information about the trials, please email mpsreforms@health.gov.au.
The following states and territories are participating in the MPSP direct care targets trials:
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- South Australia
- Queensland
- Western Australia
- Tasmania
- Norfolk Island.