Aged care news highlights from the fortnight ending 21 June 2024, aggregated by Ideagen.
The information in the ACE Wrap is aggregated from other news sources to provide you with news that is relevant to the aged care sector across Australia and worldwide. Each paragraph is a summary of the subject matter covered in the particular news article. The information does not necessarily reflect the views of Ideagen.
Residential Care and General Aged Care News
Changes to 24/7 registered nurse reporting from 1 July
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, we are making changes to the monthly 24/7 registered nurse (RN) report in the Government Provider Management System (GPMS). From 1 July, the report will collect more information about what arrangements are in place when an RN is not available. This will better support the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s monitoring and compliance activities about the 24/7 RN responsibility. It will also reduce the need for them to ask you for more information. There will be single select drop-down menus for each question to help reduce the time you need to complete the report. For more information:
Allocation of places to people starts July 2025
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, we’re working to give people more choice over aged care providers. When the new Aged Care Act is in place, all residential aged care providers will no longer hold an allocation of residential places (bed licenses). Providers will be supported with transitional arrangements. Bed-ready providers who do not have places allocated, can apply for care places through a non-competitive process. You can submit an Intention to Develop about projects that are not yet bed-ready, and need places before July 2025. Providers need to write off any bed licenses on balance sheets before the new arrangements begin. Learn more about Places-to-people-embedding-choice-in-residential-aged-care.
Self-employment and self-management are on the rise in aged care
According to Hello Leaders, aged care employers risk losing one-quarter of their support worker workforce over the next 12 months as new data published by Mable reveals that self-employed workers are far happier and have more choice and control over their lives.
Survey reveals strong support and optimism for new Aged Care Act
According to Inside Ageing, a government survey revealed that almost two-thirds of respondents are optimistic that the new Aged Care Act will improve Australia’s aged care sector.
Australia is struggling to define ‘high-quality’ aged care
According to Aged Care Guide, as providers grow concerned about the new Aged Care Act Exposure Draft, COTA Australia’s CEO doubled-down on progressive reform.
Winter vaccines reminder
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, COVID-19 vaccination rates in residential aged care remain low. Vaccination is the best defence in reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalisation and death for COVID-19 and influenza. For help with vaccinations you can:
For more information on vaccinations for residential aged care.
NSW Budget: what’s in it for aged care
According to Aged Care Insite, the NSW government has announced the state’s “biggest single investment in social housing” to help address the housing crisis, despite a budget it says has suffered an $11.9bn blow because of the GST carve up.
Tax time: 10 expenses nurses might not know they can claim
According to Aged Care Insite, nurses are leaving permanent employment for contracting work at an unprecedented rate, and although that decision offers better working conditions and pay, many independent nurses do not know what to claim come tax time. Here are 10 lesser known tax-deductible expenses you might not be aware of.
The government is not on track to get every younger person out of aged care by next year. What now?
According to Aged Care Insite, in 2019, the Coalition government committed to measurable, time-bound targets to solve the issue of younger people in residential aged care by 2025. The federal government invested $50 million in the aim of having no people under the age of 65 entering residential aged care by 2022, and no people under the age of 65 living in residential aged care by 2025. With only six months to go, the current government is unlikely to meet the 2025 target. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) data released last week shows at end of 2023, 1470 people aged under 65 (excluding First Nations people aged 50–64) were still living in aged care.
Home Care News
Outcome monitoring data released
According to Community Care Review, the Registry of Senior Australians has released its public and provider reports on outcome monitoring for aged care, with wait-time for home care packages topping the prevalence lists for home care providers in South Australia.
Legislation
Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2024 (No. 24 of 2024) [ACT] – commences 3 November 2025
The Act changes the law to ensure that, in defined circumstances and with strong safeguards, it is lawful for an authorised practitioner to assist an eligible individual to access an approved substance as an additional end of life choice.
Health Care Decision Making Act 2023 (No. 19 of 2023) [NT] – commences 1 July 2024
The purpose of the Health Care Decision Making Act 2023 (the Act) is to create a stand-alone Act that provides a central framework for health care decision making for situations where an adult person has impaired decision making capacity (other than under the Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998), to make provision for urgent health care without consent for both adults and children and to make consequential amendments to related legislation.
.png)
