Aged care news highlights from the week ending 12 May 2023, 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.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Australian Government has committed to restore dignity to aged care, ensuring older people are treated with the respect they deserve. The Government’s 2023-24 Budget responds to recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, supporting key initiatives to:
Read more about the aged care Budget initiatives.
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, sector stakeholders – including peaks, providers and unions – have largely welcomed the federal budget, which directs $36 billion into the aged care sector in 2023-24. As previously announced last Thursday, this includes $11 billion to fund the 15 per cent workers’ pay rise.
According to Aged Care Insite, Tuesday’s budget provided a billion-dollar spend to lift the wages of more than 250,000 aged care workers but flagged a future decline in spending towards residential care. This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down Labor’s second federal budget.
According to The Weekly Source, the 15% wage rise for aged care workers may have grabbed the headlines last week – but the newly established Aged Care Taskforce is the country’s best chance of establishing a fair and equitable aged care system that will deliver confidence to residents, families and providers. As we report in this issue, the new Taskforce has been tasked with reviewing the funding arrangements for aged care and developing options for a system that is “fair and equitable for all Australians.”
According to Aged Care Insite, aged care experts have cautioned the Australian government's focus on in-home care could lead to fiscal pressures on the budget in the near future.
While the budget has improved aged care funding from a wages and inflationary view, it hasn’t boosted the sector’s financial sustainability, StewartBrown’s Grant Corderoy tells Australian Ageing Agenda.
According to Hello Care, here is our breakdown of what the 2023-2024 Federal Budget has in store for vulnerable older Australians and front-line health and aged care workers.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, we encourage all providers to work with primary care providers to plan for residents to receive the COVID-19 booster dose as soon as they are eligible. We recommend that the 2023 COVID-19 booster dose be given prior to June 2023 and at a time of 6 months or greater following the most recent COVID-19 vaccine dose or confirmed infection. If you have not heard from your local PHN and are in need of assistance, please reach out to them directly or contact the Department by emailing RACFVaccineClinics@health.gov.au.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, your service must take precautions to prevent and control influenza and minimise infection-related risks. This includes:
You must also demonstrate:
For more information, refer to the Quality of Care Principles 2014 and the Records Principles 2014. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission assesses compliance with the influenza vaccination program. If you require assistance in organising influenza vaccinations, contact your vaccination provider or your state or territory Department of Health as soon as possible.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, ATAGI advises that COVID-19 doses are safe to be administered at the same time as the annual influenza vaccination. More information on access to influenza vaccinations through the NIP can be found on the Department's website. Promotional materials including posters and brochures are available from the 2023 influenza resource collection.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, from 1 May 2023, residential aged care homes (RACHs) are required to access COVID-19 PCR testing through standard Medicare arrangements, where GPs and nurse practitioners directly request, by referral, COVID-19 and respiratory PCR tests from a pathology provider to assist with the clinical management of patients. COVID-19 PCR testing is available under Medicare for Medicare eligible patients. Any COVID-19 PCR testing under Medicare must be bulk-billed and at no cost to aged care homes or patients. Information about Medicare eligibility can be found on the Medicare website.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, residential aged care providers can still apply for funding to support registered and enrolled nurses to complete specialist IPC Lead Nurse training. Support is available up to a maximum of $13,020 per eligible nurse, for up to 2 registered or enrolled nurses in each eligible residential aged care home, for costs relating to:
The grant opportunity opened 1 December 2022 and applications close at 2pm, 30 June 2023 (AEST). Find out more about this Grant Opportunity: Aged Care Infection Prevention and Control Training (GO5867) on the GrantConnect website.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Australian Government continues to support the sector ahead of winter by deploying PPE packs to all Commonwealth funded residential aged care homes, MPSs, and NATSIFACP services. Deliveries have commenced and all deliveries will be completed by late May 2023. If you have any questions, please contact the Department at AgedCareCOVIDEnquiries@health.gov.au.
From 3 May 2023, goggles are no longer available for order through the Department. Face shields will continue to remain available as a suitable alternative.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Australian Government is investing $11.3 billion to fund the Fair Work Commission’s decision of a 15% award wage increase for many aged care workers. The wage increase will take effect from 30 June 2023. Aged care providers will receive additional funding through existing funding arrangements and new grant opportunities. Funding for on-costs and leave liabilities will be provided. For more information on the wage rise:
According to Hello Care, the Government’s decision to redirect funding for on-site pharmacists in Government-funded aged care homes has come as a surprise to the industry and its impact remains unclear. The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended the introduction of on-site pharmacists. In response, the then-Liberal Government set aside almost $350 million in funding for aged care providers themselves, to allow them full control of the implementation of an on-site pharmacist program. But last week that decision was reversed as Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, said the funding would instead go to community pharmacies.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Aged Care Nursing and Allied Health Scholarships program is open to enrolled and registered nurses, personal care workers and allied health professionals working in aged care. Vocational education, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarship opportunities are available. Applications opened on 2 May 2023 and will close as soon as all of the available places have been filled. Find out more information on the Australian College of Nursing website.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, residential aged care providers are reminded to commence collecting Quarter 4 2022‑23 data for the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) including the new Quality Indicators which commenced from 1 April 2023. We encourage providers to visit the department’s QI Program webpage for resources and guidance on data collection. Other resources include:
Reporting of this quarter’s data will be via the new Government Provider Management System (GPMS). The existing QI Program reporting portal will decommissioned and all Quarter 4 2022‑23 quality indicator data should be entered and submitted via the new GPMS platform. For assistance please contact the My Aged Care Provider and Assessor Helpline on 1800 836 799.
According to Inside Ageing, the Albanese Government has announced a new Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement to promote increased recruitment and retention in the aged care workforce. The new approach allows employers to sponsor direct care workers on skilled visas, in collaboration with businesses and unions.
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, aged care providers can now sponsor direct care workers on skilled visas, the government has announced. In an effort to boost the aged care workforce, the Albanese Government has created a new Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement to promote increased recruitment and retention of staff.
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, aged care boards should proactively look beyond regulatory minimums when undertaking director recruitment and succession planning, a governance expert tells Australian Ageing Agenda.
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, a new aged care taskforce will be established to review the sector’s funding arrangements and inform the final design of the new in-home care program – which will now commence on 1 July 2025, the government has announced in this week’s budget.
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, “We have to do it once and we have to do it well,” that was the key message on home care reform given to providers by the aged care minister this week. Addressing sector stakeholders during a post-budget webinar on Wednesday hosted by the Department of Health and Aged Care, Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells explained the reasoning for the decision to push back home care reform by another 12 months.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Aged and Community Care Provider Association (ACCPA) is hosting a webinar for Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) providers to prepare for the winter season through lessening the risks and impacts of influenza and COVID-19 infection. Aimed at CHSP providers, this webinar is an opportunity to talk about practical steps providers can take to prepare their service. When: Tuesday 9 May 2023, at 1.00pm - 2.00pm (AEST). Please register to attend.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the department is hosting a webinar on Thursday 18 May at 2pm-4pm AEST to update older people, their families and carers and the aged care sector on in-home aged care reform. The webinar will provide a progress update on:
This webinar will have Auslan interpreters. You will have an opportunity to submit questions during the webinar. Register on the Aged Care Engagement Hub. If you are unable to attend the webinar, a recording of this will be made available on the department’s website.
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.