About Specialisation Verification
We have developed the Specialisation Verification Framework to ensure that older Australians with diverse backgrounds and life experiences can access more reliable information when choosing their aged care providers.
Aged care providers may choose to offer specialised services for people:
- with diverse experiences, backgrounds, and characteristics
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who may identify with one or more of the groups defined as having special needs in the Aged Care Act 1997.
To claim specialisation, providers must deliver care that:
- is sensitive to the needs of these individuals
- goes beyond the standard obligations of the Aged Care Quality Standards.
Applications must refer to the My Aged Care Provider Specialisation Verification Framework and its assessment criteria.
Independent verification is required before claims to provide specialised care to diverse groups are published on My Aged Care. The criteria that the specialisation claims were verified against under the Framework are also displayed on the provider’s My Aged Care profile.
Since 27 February 2023, provider specialisation claims that have not been verified have been removed from their My Aged Care profile.
How to apply
Aged care providers can apply for verification through the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal.
To claim specialisation, providers must meet the criteria for the relevant group(s) outlined in the Specialisation Verification Framework. This includes:
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities
- people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- people who are financially or socially disadvantaged
- veterans
- people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
- care leavers
- parents separated from their children by forced adoption or removal
- lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex people
- people who live in rural or remote areas.
To apply, providers must log in to the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal to complete an application. An application must be submitted for each outlet that you wish to have verified and can include one or more specialisations for assessment by the independent assessor, Australian Healthcare Associates (AHA).
For more help in completing your application, review the aged care provider guidance manual and detailed evidence requirements for providers. To learn more about key milestones under the initiative see the Specialisation Verification timeline.
Once AHA has verified your specialisation claims, the specialisations will be published on your My Aged Care Find a Provider profile. If you had your specialisation(s) verified prior to 27 February 2023, check that they are appearing on your provider profile. If they do not appear, you will need to select which service(s) they apply to via the Service and Support Portal. You can read more about this in the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal User Guide. Verified specialisations will remain valid for 3 years.
We will provide more information and guidance through our aged care sector announcements and newsletters.
Why we need a framework
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended that provider specialisation claims are reviewed to improve the reliability of the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool.
To address this recommendation, we:
- commissioned AHA to develop a framework
- sought feedback from representatives of older Australians from special needs groups to help develop the framework
- allowed providers to test these findings.
The framework sets out the criteria for specialised care delivery. This shows how providers can deliver care which exceeds the minimum requirements.
The framework will help:
- embed a focus on diversity in the aged care system
- older Australians, their families, loved ones, friends, families of choice, community representatives and carers, to choose providers that meet their needs.
Diversity in older Australians
For more information about Australia’s diverse senior population and the requirements aged care providers must meet to cater for them, see the:
My Aged Care provider Specialisation Verification resources
Contact
Independent assessor contact