Aged care news highlights from the week ending 28 April 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.

COVID-19 News 

Covid-19 numbers ‘more than doubled’ in residential aged care

According to Aged Care Insite, Covid-19 numbers have doubled in residential aged care over the past two months amid an ‘alarmingly low’ drop in Covid-19 vaccination rates, according to a recent federal government report.

2023 COVID 19 Aged Care Support Program Grant GO6223

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Australian Government has committed funding for the 2023 COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program Grant GO6223. The grant will support providers to transition towards managing the costs of COVID-19 outbreaks as part of their business-as-usual arrangements. Eligible providers of residential and home care services will have the opportunity to apply for reimbursement of eligible costs incurred due to COVID-19 outbreaks (or COVID-19 impacted home care recipients) between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023.

All information, including specific eligibility requirements, for this grant opportunity can be found on the GrantConnect website. Please note that you will be required to register to access the documents, and providers are encouraged to read through Grant Opportunity Guidelines to understand the process and expectations of the grant.

Oral health in aged care ‘blind spot’ during pandemic

According to Aged Care Insite, one of Australia's leading dental associations is urging older people to prioritise check-ups to treat untreated dental decay and gum disease after eased Covid restrictions. As the pandemic dominated headlines over the past two years, many people delayed or skipped routine dental appointments due to lockdowns and restrictions.

IPC Lead Nurse training grants

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. 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.

Top 3 Questions from Webinar held on 6 April 2023

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care:

Question 1: Can you please clarify vaccination requirements for aged care workers (residential and home care) and visitors to RACHs?

There are no Commonwealth mandated restrictions for staff of residential aged care facilities and in-home care workers, however some states and territories may require aged care workers, volunteers and visitors to be vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19. Aged care providers can also adopt their own policies, and work health and safety arrangements. You can find advice for the aged care sector on the Department's website.

Residential aged care providers are required under section 8 of the Quality of Care Principles 2014 to provide staff with access to annual influenza vaccinations for free. Providers are also required under section 10A of the Records Principles 2014 to keep records of the number of staff who have received the influenza vaccination, and if it was received through their vaccination program.

Question 2: Are we still required to report staff COVID-19 vaccinations status on My Aged Care?

All aged care providers are required under aged care legislation to report weekly, or when there has been a change to the COVID-19 vaccination status of residents and workers through My Aged Care portal.

Question 3: What are the requirements around winter preparation in home and community care settings?

Safe planning, Infection prevention and control (IPC) and emergency care plans are all requirements of managing home care. Home and community care providers need to ensure their organisation is ready should any outbreak occur among care recipients or staff. Workers should follow the Department’s advice, including:

• supporting access to oral antiviral treatments and encouraging care recipients to be assessed for suitability
• applying IPC practices and following the hierarchy of control for minimising the risk of COVID-19 transmission
• maintaining COVID-19 safe behaviours including doing regular rapid antigen tests (RAT), mask wearing indoors and frequent hand washing.

Other News

Just released survey: 73% of Australians would give up inheritance to fund ‘comfortable’ retirement and aged care

According to The Weekly Source, Millennials, Gen X’ers and Baby Boomers all would forego cash to see their parents or grandparents better off in later years, a result that arguably puts to bed the political position that increasing client payments for aged care would lose elections. The 56-page ‘Towards the Tipping Point in Aged Care Funding’ report released by B2B aged care service CompliSpace, out today, surveyed 1,000 people nationally.

Webinar outlines providers’ RN responsibilities

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, residential aged care providers who are genuinely struggling to recruit registered nurses but are doing their best to comply with the mandatory ruling of having an RN onsite 24/7 will not face “enforcement action”, the head of the sector’s regulatory body has said.

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Bulletin

This issue of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s Bulletin covers:

• Workforce-related responsibilities – 24/7 RN cover and care minutes update
• Strengthened Quality Standards update
• Quarterly Financial Report: Q3 due 5 May 2023
• Planning for winter: cold and flu season
• Falls awareness month
• Webinars
• Food and nutrition
• Governing for reform
• Training and resources

Feedback sought on new regulatory model

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the Department of Health and Aged Care has launched an eight-week consultation on a new model for regulating aged care that aims to improve quality and safety.

New Government Provider Management System for residential aged care providers

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the new Government Provider Management System (GPMS) portal is now available to Organisation Administrators of residential aged care service providers. GPMS enables you to preview your organisation’s Star Ratings.

Steps to take:

• log on to GPMS
• assign roles for ‘Organisation Administrators’ and ‘Star Rating’ reviewers in the system
• check your organisation details are correct.

More information about GPMS is available on our Government Provider Management System webpage. If you need more assistance, please contact the My Aged Care Service Industry, Provider and Assessor Helpline on 1800 836 799.

Regulator review completed

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, David Tune has delivered the final report of the independent Capability Review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to the Albanese Government with 32 recommendations for change.

Providers urged to ‘reach out’ before closing services

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, it’s “bad behaviour” to close an aged home without notifying the department ahead of such action, a bureaucrat has told providers at a recent industry conference.

ACCPA’s roadmap for the future

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, some of the aged care royal commission’s recommendations currently being implemented by the sector are not looking like such good ideas, chief executive officer of the provider peak told delegates at an industry event Wednesday.

ACCPA proposes new aged care working visa

According to Aged Care Insite, aged care providers have proposed the federal government establish a specific visa for skilled migrants to deliver 24/7 registered nurses to facilities. This morning, the Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) submitted policy proposals to the government to amend the reform bill requiring round-the-clock nurses in residential aged care.

Quarterly Financial Reports due 5 May

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, approved providers are reminded to submit their quarter 3 Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) through the Forms Administration portal by Friday 5 May.

Providers must ensure that data entered into the Quarterly Financial Statements screen is for the year-to-date. However, data entered on the Residential, Home Care Expenses & Labour Hours, and Food & Nutrition screens, should be for the January-March 2023 quarter only. Resources to help providers complete their reports are available on the department’s QFR webpage and Forms Administration’s website. A data collection helpdesk is also available. Call (02) 4403 0640 or email enquiries to health@formsadministration.com.au

Home Care News

Home care reforms: ‘we’re not ready’, says ACCPA

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the sector is unprepared for the “big bang” implementation of the new home care program, chief executive officer of the aged care provider peak told delegates at an industry event last week.

Home care waiting list drops, says report

According to Community Care Review, the number of people waiting for a home care package has decreased while the number of recipients accessing a HCP has increased, according to the latest government statistics.

Webinar: Reforming in-home aged care update

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:

• reforms to in-home aged care
• Commonwealth Home Support Programme
• Home Care Packages Program
• the new regulatory model
• the new Aged Care Act.

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.

Legislation

Approval of Care Recipients Amendment (Younger Persons) Principles 2023 [CTH] – commences 1 May 2023

This instrument amends the Approval of Care Recipients Principles 2014 to require younger persons applying to be approved for residential care to provide specific evidence. The specific evidence will assist in determining their eligibility for residential care and to ensure all possible alternatives for age-appropriate care have been considered.