Aged care news highlights from the week ending 13 May 2022, 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

 COVID-fatigued aged care workers walk off the job

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, hundreds of aged care workers across two states took unprecedented strike action earlier this week in protest over low pay and poor conditions. Staff from some of Australia’s largest aged care providers in Queensland and Western Australia walked off the job Tuesday “because they feel they have no option but to take strike action,” said United Workers Union aged care director Carolyn Smith. Almost 1,700 workers were also going to walk off the job for three-and-a-half hours at Southern Cross Care facilities in South Australia. However, the protest has been postponed until after the federal election following a decision by the Fair Work Commission to block the strike over concerns for the welfare of aged care residents.

Leadership and Governance Webinar for RACFs

(Note: this excerpt is from the Department of Health newsletter. We cannot provide a link to the full version of this story until the Department of Health uploads it to their website.)

The Department of Health and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission are hosting a joint webinar on leadership and governance for residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in a COVID outbreak. The webinar will focus on leadership and governance including a presentation of case studies on leadership and governance that will be useful to inform planning and embedding these concepts at the forefront of an outbreak. 

Who should attend?

Residential aged care providers including CEOs, facility managers and IPC leads.

Details

When: Wednesday 11 May 2022 – 2pm to 3pm AEST.

Participants will need to register to attend this free webinar. This webinar will be recorded and available on the department’s website for on demand viewing.

State and territory directions

(Note: this excerpt is from the Department of Health newsletter. We cannot provide a link to the full version of this story until the Department of Health uploads it to their website.)

According to The Department of Health, most States and Territories have recently updated their directions on how close contacts are treated in the community, aged are providers are reminded to stay up to date with the latest advice on your State or Territory websites:

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia

Supporting Visitation in RACFs

(Note: this excerpt is from the Department of Health newsletter. We cannot provide a link to the full version of this story until the Department of Health uploads it to their website.)

According to The Department of Health, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee supports having visitors in residential aged care facilities in the least restrictive manner possible:

• visits must be in line with the known or likely wishes and preferences of residents
• visitors include family, friends, visiting health workers and support staff.

The Industry Code for Visiting Residential Aged Care Homes during COVID-19 (the Code) can help providers to apply restrictions with care and compassion. The Code keeps residents and their loved ones at the centre of decision making.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (the Commission) outlines their position on provider responsibilities relating to visitor access in their fact sheet: Ensuring safe visitor access to residential aged care.

The Commission is committed to the concept of ‘essential visitors’ and is looking for providers to engage proactively with consumers and their representatives (in advance of any COVID-19 exposure or outbreak) to identify these people and ensure that they continue to have access to a service unless a public health order or written public health advice prohibits this. Essential visitors include:

• Partners in care – a person who has a close and continuing relationship with the care recipient and provides aspects of regular routine care and companionship
• Named visitor – if a resident does not have a partner in care, they may nominate one person to be a named visitor
• Visitor at end of life – visits to residents at or approaching the end of life should be facilitated for anyone and not be time limited.

The Commission may take regulatory action where access for essential visitors is not adequately supported.

Good IPC programs can reduce infections by 70% — WHO

According to Hospital and Healthcare, a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) report shows that where good hand hygiene and other cost-effective practices are followed, 70% of [infectious outbreaks] can be prevented.

Other News

New polling sheds light on aged care concern among voters

According to Community Care Review, more than 80 per cent of voters have identified aged care as a key issue in deciding how they’ll cast their ballot at the upcoming federal election. A survey of almost 900 voters commissioned by BaptistCare NSW & ACT and conducted by YouGov shows aged care policy is an ‘important issue’ for 83 per cent of Australian voters.

Aged care discussion was animated and fiery during second leaders debate

According to Aged Care Guide, last night's second leadership debate saw current Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese lock heads over aged care issues, including nurses, future fixes for the sector, and the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

CHA campaigns for better aged care in key electorates

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, in the lead up to the federal election, Catholic Health Australia is calling on candidates in crucial battleground seats to declare their support for better pay and better training for the aged care workforce.

New aged care peak unveils inaugural board

According to Community Care Review, the newly formed Aged & Community Care Providers Association has announced its board structure. In all, 15 board members have been appointed including Dr Graeme Blackman as chair and Cherylee Treloar as deputy chair. Both positions were determined at the board’s inaugural meeting held earlier this week.

Legislation

Public Health Amendment (Registered Nurses in Nursing Homes) Bill 2020 [NSW] – Passed Council with amendment 11 May 2022

A Private Member's Bill for an Act to amend the Public Health Act 2020 to bring the definition of a nursing home into line with relevant Commonwealth legislation so as to ensure that the requirement for a registered nurse to be on duty at all times at a nursing home be continued.