Aged care news highlights from the fortnight ending 26 April 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

Is minister’s praise of care minutes consistent with data?

According to Aged Care Insite, the Aged Care Minister praised the increase in direct care minutes despite data revealing that less than half of the aged care facilities met the benchmark.

IG largely welcomes taskforce findings

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, in a rare statement, the Acting Inspector-General of Aged Care Ian Yates has welcomed the final report of the aged care taskforce released last month.

Free onsite flu jabs for aged care residents

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, from Monday, community pharmacists will be able to provide free influenza vaccinations in aged care homes.Operating under the National Immunisation Program Vaccination in Pharmacy program – which allows eligible patients to access National Immunisation Program vaccines – pharmacists will receive government funding to administer flu shots, Covid jabs and other inoculations to aged care residents and people living in disability homes.

Aged care workers may wait until 2026 for full pay increase

According to Aged Care Insite, the Albanese government seeks to delay aged care workers' wage rises of 23 per cent by almost two years due to concerns that a large pay jump could fuel labour shortages by attracting workers from other sectors. The government has requested that the Fair Work Commission phase in the increase over two years in two halves from January 2025 to January 2026.

Stakeholders slam plan to delay pay rises

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the government’s proposed timeline for funding the latest pay rises is “disappointing” and will “slow the urgent tasking of attracting and retaining staff” and “only add to the workforce crisis in the sector”, stakeholders tell Australian Ageing Agenda.

New aged care laws bear the fingerprints of industry lobbyists. Will the voices of older Australians be heard?

According to ABC News, [the new Aged Care Act] was supposed to be passed by July 1 but the government has since ditched that deadline, saying there is more work to do. The new laws are being touted as "once in a generation" reforms that give older people and their families new rights and put them at the centre of policy. Yet elderly Australians involved in consultations say it's aged care providers and their lobbyists who appear to have had a far greater influence on the new legislation than senior Australians.

Answering your questions: New Quality Standards video

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has released the third episode of the Up to Standard video series. The series answers some common questions about the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. If you have any questions or feedback about the strengthened Quality Standards, please email agedcarereform@agedcarequality.gov.au. Find more information on the Stronger Standards, Better Aged Care Program.  

New program aims to break down dementia stigma for Chinese Australians

According to Aged Care Insite, a new program is aiming to deter stigma about dementia for Chinese Australians in hopes of reaching out to get an early diagnosis. A team of researchers from the University of Sydney (USYD) have launched a simplified Chinese website Face Dementia to break down the social stigma, shame, and misconception of dementia, encouraging Chinese Australians to recognise dementia symptoms and reach out to get an early diagnosis.

Have a say: Infection prevention and control guide

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care wants to hear from you about the draft Aged Care Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Guide. The guide is intended to support aged care organisations to meet the IPC-related actions of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards and to minimise the risk of infection for older people and the workforce. Complete the online survey by 15 May 2024. Your feedback will help improve the new guide. For more information, read and download IPC resources or email: HAI@safetyandquality.gov.au.

Star Ratings provider preview available

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the latest update to Star Ratings is available for preview in the Government Provider Management System (GPMS). The preview opened on 22 April 2024 and will be available for 2 weeks. It includes updates to: 

• Staffing and Quality Measures ratings data for October to December 2023
• Residents’ Experience ratings for homes that completed their annual survey in February 2024 
• contemporary Compliance ratings.  

Access GPMS user guide: Star Ratings for more information and support. For support, please call the My Aged Care service provider and assessor helpline on 1800 836 799.

Get ready for winter: order your PPE and RAT kits now

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, winter is on its way, now is the time to get ready for outbreaks of COVID-19 and influenza. Providers should check their stock levels of personal protective equipment (PPE) and rapid antigen test (RAT) kits and order supplies in advance. From 1 May, providers need to order PPE and RAT kits through commercial suppliers. They will no longer be available from the National Medical Stockpile. Using PPE minimises the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19 and influenza. When using PPE, providers should take a risk-based approach and be up to date with local state or territory health advice. If you have any questions, please email AgedCareCOVIDEnquiries@health.gov.au.

Governance compliance still lacking, says report

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, aged care providers are continuing to fail to comply to the regulator’s governance requirements, according to new analysis. Released last week by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, the latest sector performance report shows that – during 1 October to 31 December 2023 – organisational governance (standard 8) had the lowest rate of compliance across residential and home care services.

Home Care News

Aged care regulator to increase audits for home care

According to Aged Care Insite, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) is increasing audits after the latest report found one in every three home care services failing to comply with all eight standards.

CHSP growth funding grant opportunities now open

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, two grant opportunities are open for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) on GrantConnect, both closing 31 May 2024. 

CHSP Growth Funding 2024-25 Grant Opportunity (GO6887)

Objective: Increase availability of domestic assistance, allied health and therapy, transport services and home maintenance in identified aged care planning regions.  

Eligibility: Current CHSP providers, as well as providers across aged care, disability and veterans care.  

CHSP First Nations Growth Funding 2024-25 Grant Opportunity (GO6888)

Objective: Expand culturally safe CHSP services for First Nations older people.   

Eligibility: Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations with experience in aged care, disability and primary health. 

Successful providers will receive a grant agreement for 1 October 2024 to 30 June 2025 and will be included in the 2025-2027 CHSP funding extension process.   

Read more about CHSP growth funding.

Legislation

No significant developments this week.