Aged care news highlights from the week ending 27 October 2023, aggregated by Ideagen 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 Ideagen CompliSpace .

COVID-19 News 

No significant developments this week.

Other News

Report commends reform progress

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, significant progress has been made in implementing the royal commission’s recommendations, according to a report released this morning. Requested by Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells, the 93-page document is an “objective and independent” assessment by the Interim Inspector-General of Aged Care into the government’s response to the recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Mandatory care minutes hit aged care homes

According to Aged Care Insite, residential aged care homes have been required to report their care minutes to the Department of Health and Aged Care since October 1, equalling a sector-wide average of 200 minutes per day per resident, including 40 minutes spent with a registered nurse (RN).

Aged care watchdog opens

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the independent Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care has commenced this week with longtime consumer advocate Ian Yates appointed Acting Inspector-General of Aged Care.

Reminder: Reporting deadlines for providers

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, Aged Care providers need to submit several reports in the coming weeks. This is a reminder to check your reporting requirements for the following:

• Quality Indictors reporting due 21 October – GPMS
• Provider operations Collection Form due 31 October – GPMS
• Aged Care Financial Report due 31 October – Forms Administration
• Quarterly Financial Report due 4 November – Forms Administration.

Updated roadmap shows progress of the Aged Care Reform

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the reform roadmap has been updated.  It includes a range of digital health initiatives and the commencement of new requirements for governing body membership and provider advisory bodies from 1 December 2023.

Preparedness for governance reforms patchy

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, when it comes to meeting the new aged care governance responsibilities coming into play towards the end of the year, some home care providers are more prepared than others, according to an industry insider.

Financial struggles persist, says report

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, ongoing financial instability continues to make life difficult for residential aged care providers, according to the latest industry data. StewartBrown’s Aged Care Financial Performance Survey Report for the 12 months ending June 2023 shows an operating loss of $16.54 per bed per day – $1.87 more than the previous financial year ($14.67).

More regular reviews of aged care fees

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, from late October 2023, Services Australia will move to more regular reviews of residential aged care and home care fees. These will replace the Quarterly Reviews. The regular reviews will apply changes to care recipient fees closer to when changes happen. The reviews will also calculate any applicable refund amounts as part of the next monthly claim process. This means you and your care recipients may receive more regular letters advising of fee changes or refunds.

Star Ratings quarterly update: Provider preview available

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, Quarterly updates to Star Ratings are now available for residential aged care providers to preview in the Government Provider Management System (GPMS).

Governing for Reform in Aged Care – updated content available

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission program, Governing for Reform in Aged Care, has been updated to include content on the aged care reforms. This is a tailored learning program for aged care leaders with content delivered through webinars, toolkits, podcasts and online learning modules.

New agreements bump up aged care pay by 4.4 per cent

According to Aged Care Insite, workers on new collective agreements are scoring average wage increases of up to 5.8 per cent, according to fresh data released by the workplace umpire.

WA WHS regulator shines its spotlight on aged and residential care industry

According to Lexology, in addition to specific industry regulation, aged and residential care facilities are subject to applicable work, health and safety laws (WHS Laws). This adds another important layer of compliance for those in the industry. In Western Australia, the WHS regulator, WorkSafe WA, is undertaking a ‘proactive inspection program’ to review WHS issues in WA aged care and residential care facilities. Facilities across metropolitan and regional areas of WA will be randomly selected for an inspection to identify any non-compliance with WHS Laws.

Use of clinical software differs greatly among providers

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, a research project led by the aged care sector’s technology peak body has identified high rates of data duplication, the need for standardised terminology and almost 300 unique clinical software vendors in residential aged care.

Free shingles vaccination program

According to Aged Care Insite, nearly five million older and immunocompromised Australians will be given free access to a shingles vaccine starting from 1 November.

What will the national dementia data plan do?

According to Aged Care Insite, there is no single data source that tracks how many people are diagnosed or are living with dementia each year, says the National Dementia Data Improvement Plan, a 10-year policy designed to increase the data available about dementia patients.

Aged care reduces hospitalisations for people with dementia

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, Australians living with dementia who move into residential aged care after a hospital stay are less likely to be readmitted to hospital within one year than those who return to living in the community, says a report.

Home Care News

Government review reveals greater pricing transparency

According to Community Care Review, home care package providers have significantly improved the accuracy and clarity of their pricing information on the My Aged Care website, according to a government review.

Legislation

Inspector-General of Aged Care Act 2023 (No. 55 of 2023) [CTH] – commenced 16 October 2023

The Inspector-General of Aged Care Act 2023 (the IGAC Act), together with the Inspector-General of Aged Care (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2023 (also introduced to the House of Representatives on 22 March 2023), supports the establishment of the new Inspector-General of Aged Care (the Inspector-General), which will provide independent oversight of the aged care system.

The 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.

In addition to establishing the Office of the Inspector-General and providing for the Inspector-General's functions, which are to monitor, investigate and report to the Minister and Parliament on the Commonwealth's administration and regulation of the aged care system, the IGAC Act will:

• provide the Inspector-General with coercive information gathering powers to support its functions, including powers to compel a person to produce information or documents or to answer questions, and for the Inspector-General or its staff to access premises;
• establish secrecy provisions which provide that it is an offence for the Inspector-General and certain other persons to use and disclose 'protected information', unless that information is used or disclosed for an authorised purpose;
• establishes a criminal offence and civil penalty regime to provide a framework of deterrence for certain conduct or omissions which might prevent, hinder or are contrary to the Inspector-General's exercise of functions or powers.

Inspector-General of Aged Care (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2023 (No. 56 of 2023) [CTH] – commenced 16 October 2023

The Inspector-General of Aged Care (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2023 (the Act) supports the establishment of the new Inspector-General of Aged Care (the Inspector-General) by the Inspector-General of Aged Care Act 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 Act will:

• 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.

Inspector-General of Aged Care Regulations 2023 [CTH] – commenced 16 October 2023

This instrument provides for the remuneration and allowances of the Inspector-General of Aged Care and prescribes documents and information that must accompany a request for protection of disclosure.

Advance Care Directives (Review) Amendment Bill 2022 (No. 34 of 2022) [SA] – second reading in Council 17 October 2023

This bill seeks to amend the Advance Care Directives Act to improve the functioning of the advance care directive legislation in South Australia.