Aged care news highlights from the week ending 27 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
Managing Influenza and COVID-19 in residential aged care
Vaccinations for influenza and COVID-19
According to the Department of Health, this winter we expect an increase in influenza cases and with COVID continuing to circulate at the same time, it is important to be protected against flu and COVID. Please have a look at the available information on accessing flu vaccinations through the NIP on the Department's website, and the promotional materials including posters and brochures that you can use from the 2022 influenza resource collection.
Infection Protection Control (IPC) in an outbreak
All staff (management, care workers and support staff) should be trained in basic infection prevention and control. You may wish to encourage staff to refresh their on-line training available on the Department’s website.
Influenza and COVID-19 treatments
To complement vaccination and infection prevention and control, access to oral treatments is a key tool in managing both flu and COVID infections where clinically appropriate. To support this, the COVID oral antiviral, molnupiravir (Lagevrio) was distributed in February this year to all residential aged care facilities for resident only COVID cases. Lagevrio is now listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and can be accessed through community pharmacies with a prescription. Further information and resources on COVID treatments are available at COVID‑19 oral treatments and Lagevrio.
Influenza treatment deployment in residential aged care
From next week, packs of the prescription-only medication, Tamiflu (oseltamivir), an oral antiviral used to treat and prevent influenza A and B infections, will be deployed to residential aged care facilities (RACF) in a one-off pre-placement. This is part of the Department of Health’s 2022 winter preparedness plan.
Safe and effective medication administration
Tamiflu is a Schedule 4 Prescription Only medication. The pre-placed Tamiflu can only be used for residents of aged care facilities following prescription by an authorised prescriber. You can find further information in the following resources:
Other News
What aged care can expect under a Labor government
According to Aged Care Insite, aged care reform was a major centrepiece of Labor’s federal election campaign, and is expected to be a key priority of new prime minister Anthony Albanese. Following his victory, the new leader asserted his pledge to the sector, telling his supporters that “together we can fix the crisis in aged care”. Among a long line of commitments, Labor has promised to place nurses 24/7 in aged care homes and support a 25 per cent wage increase for staff.
Crossbench support for aged care reform
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the newly elected independents about to take their place on the crossbench of the house of representatives all back the royal commission’s recommendations for aged care reform. Following Saturday’s election, there will be seven new independents sitting on the crossbench of the lower house – taking the total number to 10.
Holding the new government to account
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the Australian Aged Care Collaboration is among the peak bodies calling on the new Labor Government to deliver on its promise of aged care reform.
Pharmacists sidelined leaving residents at risk, experts warn
According to Aged Care Insite, Researchers from the University of South Australia are calling for an increase in on-site pharmacist visits for residential aged care. Each month, one in five older people living in aged care homes has an adverse response to medication while over half of these cases are preventable. Medication-induced harm can be significantly reduced with regular pharmacist reviews, the study found.
Euthanasia to be legalised in NSW
According to Aged Care Insite, terminally ill people in NSW will have access to euthnasisa in a landmark decision handed down by state parliament yesterday. The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 passed the NSW upper house on Thursday, receiving 23 votes in favour and 15 against. The bill, which will not come into effect until the end of 2023, has drawn staunch opposition from religious aged care providers.
Experts forecast disputes in aged care as voluntary assisted dying is legalised
According to Aged Care Insite, experts have said aged care providers will face considerable challenges when voluntary assisted dying (VAD) laws come into force in 2023. The bill was recently passed in the NSW parliament after decades of debate and will allow those who are terminally ill to access euthanasia.
Legislation
No significant developments this week.
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