Aged care news highlights from the week ending 11 August 2023, aggregated by Ideagen.

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 Ideagen.

COVID-19 News 

No significant developments this week.

Other News

RN presence almost 100 per cent

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, registered nurses are in aged care homes 98 per cent of the time, the aged care minister announced Thursday. During a press conference at Parliament House Canberra, Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells said data – based on 95 per cent of facilities reporting – showed the Albanese government had delivered on its commitment to put nurses back into aged care.

All workers to receive pay rise, says ADSSI

According to Community Care Review, Hunter and Central Coast home care and disability group ADSSI has announced it will lift wages for all of its workers following the Fair Work Commission’s recent decision to increase award wages by 15 per cent for selective staff only.

Enable people to stay in their homes, says taskforce

According to Community Care Review, enabling older Australians to remain in their own homes as long as they are able leads a set of principles drafted by the aged care taskforce last month. The draft principles – which also mention co-contributions from care recipients who can afford it – are intended to act as a base for ongoing discussions within the taskforce and the wider community.

Aged Care Alert: Latest update to Star Ratings now published

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the latest quarterly update to Star Ratings has been published on the My Aged Care website. The update includes Quarter 3 FY 2022-23 data (January to March) for Staffing and Quality Measures, with Compliance information updated daily, in response to regulatory decisions. For the first time it also includes a quarterly update to the Residents’ Experience rating. Services that completed the Residents’ Experience Survey between February and the end of May this year will see these results reflected in their updated ratings. We encourage providers to download the Star Ratings Improvement Manual which provides guidance on improving care quality. Visit the department’s Star Ratings for residential aged care webpage for more information and to access our suite of resources.

Superannuation savings could be used to fund aged care

According to Aged Care Insite, Australia's aged care funding crisis could force people to use their superannuation savings to pay for their care, a new blueprint from the sector’s peak advocacy group has cautioned. Released at the Aged and Community Care Providers Association’s (ACCPA) national summit last week, the new paper also canvassed a new social insurance scheme or Medicare-style levy as alternative to help fill the aged care funding black hole.

‘Committed to bolster aged care nurses’: ACN responds to misrepresentation

According to Aged Care Insite, the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) critiqued yesterday’s article in The Australian, saying it misrepresented the College’s position on skilled migration for aged care nurses.

Pharmacy peak warns of aged care medicine ‘crisis’

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, one in three pharmacies will stop providing services to residential aged care homes if the federal government goes ahead with its 60-day medication dispensing scheme, claims the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

Health Minister labels $806 medicine claim as a ‘scare to vulnerable aged care residents’

According to Aged Care Insite, Health Minister Mark Butler has condemned the community pharmacy peak body over its latest attack on impending changes to drug dispensing rules, in a move he labelled a "cynical scare campaign" designed to "scare vulnerable aged care residents".

Aged care workforce council shuts up shop

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the not-for-profit Aged Care Workforce Industry Council has announced its closure effective immediately due to a changing aged care landscape. ACWIC launched in January 2019 as an industry collaboration between then provider peak bodies the Aged Care Guild, Aged & Community Services Australia and Leading Age Services to oversee the implementation of the sector’s workforce strategy set out in the report A Matter of Care. In a statement on 3 August, ACWIC said the board decided to cease operations as of this date in recognition of “significant changes in the landscape of the sector” since the organisation was established.

Consultation open: foundations of the new Aged Care Act

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, consultation on the proposed foundations of the new Aged Care Act (new Act) is now open. You can find the consultation paper, factsheets, a survey, and additional information on how to get involved and provide your feedback at the Aged Care Engagement Hub. Don’t forget to register to attend the webinar on 10 August 2023 where we will explain the proposed changes and respond to your questions. Register for the webinar: Foundations of the new Aged Care Act.

Consultation open: how aged care is funded

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Aged Care Taskforce (Taskforce) is seeking feedback on funding arrangements for aged care to develop options for a system that is fair and equitable for everyone in Australia. Consultation is now open and the Taskforce want to hear from you. Your feedback will help the Taskforce provide robust and appropriate advice to Government. The Taskforce will provide the Australian Government with recommendations in December 2023. It will also provide interim advice in October 2023. To make a submission, visit the Aged Care Engagement Hub. Submissions close 5pm Thursday 31 August 2023 (AEST).

Clinical alert: medication transcribing and dispensing errors

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has issued a clinical alert on preventing medication transcribing and dispensing errors in residential aged care. This follows the preventable death of an aged care resident, a serious reminder about the importance of medication protocols. Read the Alert: Preventing medication transcribing and dispensing errors on the Commission’s website. The key points to remember when transcribing and dispensing medications, the 6 ‘rights’ of administering medication and suggestions for improving systems are outlined in the National Residential Medication Chart User Guide for Nursing Staff.

Food hotline goes live

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, a food hotline established to field complaints and offer providers nutrition advice has been activated. A component of the new Food, Nutrition and Dining Advisory Support Unit – which sits within the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission – the hotline gives callers access to food and nutrition experts such as dietitians.

Home Care News

Career hub opens to boost home care workforce

According to Community Care Review, a new facility to recruit and train home care workers has opened in south-west Sydney. Located in Bankstown – and operated by community-based, not-for-profit organisation Settlement Services International – the Home Care Experience Centre will also offer assistance to providers with their hiring and retention strategies.

Legislation

Inspector-General of Aged Care (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 [CTH]   - passed 8 August 2023

The Inspector-General of Aged Care (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 (the Bill) seeks to support the establishment of the new Inspector-General of Aged Care (the Inspector-General) by the Inspector-General of Aged Care Bill 2023 (which was also introduced to the House of Representatives on 22 March 2023).

The proposed establishment of the Inspector-General forms part of the Government's response to the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (Royal Commission), published on 1 March 2021. The Royal Commission identified a range of systemic issues within the aged care system, including inadequate funding, a lack of transparency, poor access to health care, an absence in system leadership and governance, and a need to restore trust in the Government’s stewardship in the aged care system.

The Bill proposes to:

• amend the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 to prescribe the Inspector-General as a 'Commonwealth integrity agency'; and
• provide for application, saving and transitional provisions to support the transition from the non-statutory interim Inspector-General of Aged Care to the Inspector-General.