Aged care news highlights from the week ending 10 December 2021, aggregated by CompliSpace.

The information in the Weekly 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 CompliSpace.

Coronavirus/COVID-19 News

Landmark OPAN report reveals unacceptable aged care experiences over last year

According to Aged Care Guide, a new report from the Older Person's Advocacy Network (OPAN), the peak body for advocacy for older Australians, has unveiled the unacceptable and confronting aged care experiences older people have endured in 2020-21.

Opportunities, talent lost during COVID

According to Community Care Review, the COVID-19 pandemic has cost the aged care sector significantly through financial, talent and opportunity losses, an aged care chief has told an industry forum this week.

Extended Support for Aged Care Providers in COVID-19

According to the Department of Health, on 3 December 2021, the Australian Government announced extended support for Aged Care providers impacted by COVID‑19.

Additional funding will continue to support aged care services through:

• intensive case management support for aged care services experiencing a COVID‑19 outbreak amongst residents and/or staff
• access to surge workforce support in the event of an outbreak for residential aged care services
• the Support for Aged Care Workers in COVID-19 (SACWIC) grant opportunity (GO4215), which reimburses providers for eligible costs incurred in implementing Single Site worker arrangements. This grant opportunity will be extended to 30 June 2022 to ensure support remains available as required
• the Aged Care Support Program Extension grant opportunity (GO4683), which reimburses providers for eligible costs incurred in managing a direct impact of COVID‑19
• the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (VACRC), to support preparedness activities and rapidly respond to COVID‑19 outbreaks in aged care services in Victoria.

For more information please see the Grant Opportunity Guidelines (Grant Opportunity – GO4863) and regularly updated responses to frequently asked questions available on GrantConnect.

Being prepared: Updating your outbreak management plan

According to the Department of Health, this month, we are encouraging all aged care providers and residential care facilities to make sure their outbreak management plans are up to date to respond to a COVID-19 outbreak as we all continue to live with COVID-19. Living with COVID-19, including increased movement of people, brings an increased risk that your aged care service will be impacted by a positive COVID-19 case.

We want all providers and facilities to:

• talk to their staff about how to respond to a COVID-19 outbreak which impacts their service: residential or home care
• Check your readiness against the Outbreak Checklist
• test your outbreak management plan and make sure all staff know their role
• make sure all home care consumers and staff are aware of the emergency plans for each consumer
• refresh Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) skills and practices
• make sure you have enough resources to manage an outbreak, including options to source additional staff
• familiarise themselves with the public health response and orders for their jurisdiction
• report the outbreak to the Department of Health by emailingagedcareCOVIDcases@health.gov.au within an hour
• engage with residents and workers to discuss the upcoming booster clinics. While two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine offers very good protection, encouraging a booster dose will help to achieve the best vaccination coverage for residents and workers.

Helpful resources:

• Advice on Health.gov.au on how to prevent and prepare for a COVID-19 outbreak in RACFs or for in-home aged care services
• Advice from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) on how to prepare an outbreak management plan
• A guide to the first 24 hours (updated) in managing a COVID-19 outbreak in a residential aged care facility
• Preparing your facility, residents and workers for a booster clinic.

Find out more by attending our webinar on Monday 13 December 2021. More information, including dial in details, can be found on the department’s website.

Providers fear more COVID outbreaks as policies lag

According to Inside Ageing, vaccine mandates for employees have been a huge challenge for aged care providers over the last six months, with those operating in multiple states or territories having to keep up with different and changing requirements. With staff who had their vaccines in the first half of the year as part of the Government’s Group 1A cohort now eligible for booster shots, providers are again grappling with lagging policies and outdated health orders that place residents and staff at risk.

St. Basil’s inquest: Managers try to avoid giving evidence

According to Aged Care Insite, managers who ran St. Basil’s nursing home in Melbourne have asked to be excused from giving evidence following weeks of accusations that they were negligent.

Other News

15,000 aged care workers threaten to strike

According to Inside Ageing, United Workers Union officials in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia have threatened to pursue a campaign of protected strike action involving 15,000 aged care workers if their claims for wage rises, better staffing and reduced workloads are not met.

Aged care palliative care program underway

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, a new program that aims to improve palliative and end-of-life care for aged care residents has received almost $9 million in Federal funding. Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt and Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck announced the funding last week as part of a $56 million commitment to improve end-of-life and palliative care for older Australians. It is also part of the government’s response to the aged care royal commission.

Australia needs urgent healthcare reform to cope with future dementia numbers

According to Aged Care Guide, in a newly released White Paper, dementia experts are calling for immediate action to reform a healthcare system that they believe is ill-prepared to manage the anticipated growth of the number of Australians with dementia to over one million by 2058.

Government establishes National Aged Care Advisory Council

According to Aged Care Guide, a key recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has just been established by the Federal Government, with 17 expert aged care representatives appointed to the inaugural National Aged Care Advisory Council.

Have your say: New guiding principles on continuity in medication management

Please note updated link below.

According to the Department of Health, We are updating the national quality use of medicines (QUM) publication on continuity in medication management and we would like your input. A survey will lead you through a series of questions so you can provide your comments.

Please submit your feedback by 20 December 2021.

For more information, email us at medsafety@safetyandquality.gov.au

Aged Care Update – Issue 23, 2021

This issue of the Department of Health’s aged care update covers:

• New National Aged Care Advisory Council established
• Residential Consumer Experience Interviews to begin in early 2022
• Next Basic Daily Fee Supplement Report due 21 January 2022
• Get involved: Aged care services to pilot and test quality measures
• Reminder: Have your say in the development of Star Ratings for residential aged care
• Reminder: Have your say on new residential aged care design standards
• International Volunteer Day: Celebrating connections with senior Australians
• Webinar: Pacific Labour Scheme workforce for rural and remote providers
• Understanding diversity in the Aged Care Quality Standards
• Elder abuse e-Learning package
• Application date extended: Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) Support Loans
• Have your say: Allied health engagement activities in aged care
• Information for providers using Services Australia’s Aged Care Online

Legislation

No significant developments this week.