Aged care news highlights from the week ending 24 June 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

Extension of Australian Defence Force (ADF) support for residential aged care

(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 Government has extended ADF surge workforce support to COVID-19 impacted residential aged care facilities (RACFs) for a further eight weeks (until 12 August 2022). This will provide ongoing access to ADF Medical Augmentation Teams and a small support, planning and coordination team in the ACT.

Requests for ADF surge workforce assistance can be made through the case management team within the relevant Commonwealth Department of Health office in each state or territory.

Extension of the COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program Extension Grant (GO4863)

(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 Government continues to support approved aged care providers with the additional costs associated with managing COVID-19 and has extended the COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program Extension grant to 31 January 2023.

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

Last chance to apply - Support for Aged Care Workers in COVID-19 (SACWIC) Grant Opportunity

(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 SACWIC Grant Opportunity reimburses approved providers for eligible expenses associated with implementing single site worker arrangements in the hotspots / high-risk locations (published in Appendix 1 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines on GrantConnect). Applications for the grant close at 2:00pm (AEST) on 30 June 2022.

HealthDirect helpline for RACFs managing COVID-19

(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, a reminder that the HealthDirect COVID-19 helpline is available to all workers in RACFs to support you to manage COVID-19 in your facility.

Please note that this service does not replace the role of the General Practitioner, who will continue to make clinical decisions together with the resident, their family and representatives.

Vaccine teams to be deployed to aged care homes

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, to help speed up the rollout of the fourth dose of the COVID vaccine – which Minister for Health & Aged Care Mark Butler has described as “lagging” – the Department of Health is sending in special teams to aged care facilities to vaccinate residents.

Other News

Aged care reforms on the way as Health Minister prepares bills

According to Aged Care 101, Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler is planning to introduce aged care reforms to Parliament as soon as next month – including Labor’s pre-election promise for around-the-clock registered nurses in every residential aged care facility by July 2023.

New report finds funding increase and sustainability plan needed for aged care

According to Aged Care Guide, a newly released discussion paper from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has highlighted the need to increase Government spending in the aged care sector along with the implementation of a sustainable strategic plan.

Paper backs mandatory HCP contributions

According to Community Care Review, a new discussion paper argues the case for mandatory HCP and CHSP contributions, saying this could help make the aged care system more sustainable. Released by the University of Technology Sydney’s Ageing Research Collaborative, the discussion paper notes that the current aged care system is under stress and the situation is worsening.

Aged care costs could double by 2060

According to Aged Care Insite, the ‘declining’ financial sustainability of Australia’s aged care sector will see taxpayer costs for services double over the next 40 years, according to a new report. Researchers from the UTS Ageing Research Collaborative (UARC) published a new independent discussion paper identifying a range of barriers affecting the future viability of aged care services. The report said that a declining workforce, increased economic pressures and shifting community are creating immense strain.

Complaints, non-compliance up, quality report shows

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the number of aged care complaints and services failing to comply with standards have risen, but reportable incidents have fallen, according to the quality commission’s latest performance report. There are 4,920 aged care services, including 2,684 residential care services, and 188,931 aged care residents, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Sector performance report on the January – March 2022 quarter shows.

Award wage rise a positive for aged care workers

According to Aged Care Guide, a review of the national minimum wage (NMW) and the modern award minimum wage by the Fair Work Commission has seen a 5.2 percent and a 4.6 percent increase in each wage respectively, which will improve the base rate for some aged care workers.

Aged care boards still lack skill diversity

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, regenerating boards in line with royal commission findings, keeping abreast of compliance requirements and workforce pressures top the challenges for aged care boards to overcome, an industry conference has heard.

Legislation

No significant developments this week.