Aged care news highlights from the week ending 30 September 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.

COVID-19 News

$1.4 billion boost to strengthen aged care and hospitals against Covid

According to Aged Care Insite, healthcare minister Mark Butler announced last week that the government will fork out an additional $1.4 billion over the upcoming three months to prevent Covid outbreaks in hospitals and aged care homes. The Covid package that was due to expire by the end of this week will now provide additional Covid support until December 31st, with the bulk of the funds ($840 million) earmarked for aged care.

Webinar – aged care COVID-19 update

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the next webinar will be held on Thursday 6 October 2022, 2.30pm - 3.30pm (AEDT). In this session you will hear from Professor Alison McMillan, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, about the new Communicable Disease Network of Australia (CDNA) guidelines for Acute Respiratory Illness (COVID-19 and Influenza). Please register to attend.

Revised CDNA Guidelines and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) update

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Communicable Disease Network of Australia (CDNA) has released new guidelines for acute respiratory illness (COVID-19 and Influenza), the National Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Public Health Management of Outbreaks of Acute Respiratory Infection (including COVID-19 and Influenza) in Residential Care Facilities.

These guidelines will replace the previous CDNA guidelines for residential aged care facilities (RACFs) on COVID-19 and Influenza. Each RACF should review the new guidelines and their outbreak management plans to make sure that they reflect the latest advice. All services should check their relevant State or Territory health department websites regularly for any updates to local advice.

IPC training – baseline training for aged care workers

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, providers should ensure their workers regularly refresh their IPC skills. Since mid-2020, the Department of Health and Aged Care has provided free online COVID-19 infection control training modules for health workers, including specific modules for aged care workers. Providers are encouraged to support their staff to access a range of IPC training and resources. Some national and state resources are listed below.

• The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care – e-learning modules on the principles of infection prevention and control (free registration required, aged care specific modules)
• VIC Health – IPC Resources, VICNISS IPC resources
• NSW Health – COVID-19 infection prevention and control guidance for aged and residential care
• SA Health – infection control and personal protective equipment (PPS) advice
• WA Health – COVID-19 information for health professionals
• QLD Health – Infection prevention and control guidance (including PPE advice)

Other News

Second bill brought before Senate

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the second piece of aged care legislation – the Aged Care Amendment (Implementing Care Reform) Bill – was introduced to the Senate on Monday where it received a first and second reading.

The bill successfully passed the House of Representatives on 1 September. As recommended by the aged care royal commission, the bill contains three major proposals:

• increased transparency measures for providers
• a cap on home care charges
• mandatory requirement for facilities to have registered nurses onsite 24/7 by July 2023.

Updated residential aged care subsidies and supplements to reflect the introduction of the AN- ACC care funding model on 1 October 2022

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements has been updated to reflect changes due to the introduction of the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) from 1 October 2022 (the date of effect).  The updates are to residential aged care subsidies and supplements.

Updated Schedules

View the updated Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements.

Quarterly Review

Services Australia’s quarterly review of residential care fees will take place on 15 October 2022. This process enables care recipients’ fees to be set to align with any changes in their financial circumstances and/or their cost of care. Care recipients and providers will receive letters letting them know if there is a change to fees or if a refund may be due.

The quarterly review of home care fees took place on 24-25 September 2022.

Further information for Residential Care and Home Care is available on the Services Australia website.

What you need to do

Providers should ensure they understand the AN-ACC care funding model and its impact on their future funding.  This can be done by accessing the resources available on the residential aged care funding reform webpages.

Providers can also email questions to ACFR@health.gov.au.

Getting ready for AN-ACC – Services Australia

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, Services Australia continues to prepare for the transition to the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) on 1 October 2022.

New entry requirements for Palliative Care

From 1 October 2022, you must tell Services Australia if someone is entering a service to receive planned palliative care. This will not affect payments prior to AN-ACC, but sharing this information now ensures the right payments are made using the new AN-ACC funding model.

New leave type - Emergency Leave

Prior to 19 August 2022, all social and emergency leave were submitted as social claimable leave (with no limits).  From 20 August 2022 social and emergency leave are two separate leave events. Emergency leave is now available as a new leave type in the Aged Care Provider Portal. This replaces the social leave type when an emergency has been declared by the Department of Health and Aged Care for a service. You will continue to receive residential care subsidy for those residents on emergency leave (unlimited) and social leave (52 days per financial year).

Changes to Oxygen and Enteral Feeding Supplement

From 1 October 2022, this supplement will change to a standard rate. Standard and higher oxygen and enteral feeding supplement rates are still allowed for all events before 1 October 2022. The application for the oxygen or enteral feeding supplement (AC011) form will be updated to reflect this change.

Viability expansion component and homeless supplement assessment form (AC024)

To ensure a smooth transition, please submit any outstanding AC024 forms for ACFI as soon as possible.

For more information about the changes visit the Services Australia website. You can also find more information about residential aged care funding reforms on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

AN-ACC funding guide and reporting training videos

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) commences on 1 October 2022.

An AN-ACC Funding Guide is now available to provide guidance on the new funding model. It will help providers understand how to receive AN‑ACC subsidies for aged care residents, including any compliance requirements.

A recording of the AN-ACC webinar held on 30 August 2022 is also available, as well as videos to help providers with AN-ACC reporting into the Quarterly Financial Report:

• Care costs and care minutes reporting
• Allied health reporting
• Registered nurse care minutes reporting

For more information to help you get ready for AN-ACC see the provider checklists and aged care funding reform webpage.

New aged care quality indicators, updated manual published

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the Department of Health and Aged Care has confirmed six additional quality indicators for residential aged care including Flinders University’s consumer experience and quality of life tools.

The National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program currently requires residential aged care providers to report on five areas of care – unplanned weight loss, pressure injuries, physical restraint, falls and major injury, and medication management.

The additional quality indicators will be introduced from 1 April 2023. They are detailed in the updated draft QI Program Manual along with the existing indicators.

Register now: Aged Care Quality Standards consultation webinar

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the department is hosting a webinar at 1pm-3pm AEDT on Monday 17 October  to launch consultation on the revised Aged Care Quality Standards. The webinar will explore:

• why we are undertaking an urgent review including the findings of the Royal Commission
• the review process to date including consultation with experts, older people, peak bodies and the aged care sector
• the strengthened Quality Standards and what changes are proposed
• opportunities available to have your say during the consultation period via focus groups and surveys.

You can submit questions for the panel Q&A session. Register for the webinar. Consultation on the revised Aged Care Quality Standards will be open 17 October‑25 November. Find out more and get involved at the Ageing and Aged Care Engagement Hub.

Consultation: a new approach to regulating aged care

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, the department is leading the development of a new approach to regulating aged care in consultation with the aged care sector, older Australians, their families and carers.

We have released Consultation Paper No.1 – A new model for regulating aged care, and invite feedback on the new model through the department’s Ageing and Aged Care Engagement Hub. Submissions close 10 October 2022. The new approach will help ensure appropriate rules are in place for aged care providers to deliver safe and quality services.

Further consultation papers will be published in a staged process in the coming months. To find out about upcoming engagement activities, subscribe to the department’s Ageing and Aged Care Engagement Hub.

Aged care reform pulse survey

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, you can help shape the implementation of aged care reforms by completing a short survey – it should take no longer than 10 minutes.

The survey closes on 7 October. Please share this link and encourage others to be involved.

We will be conducting similar surveys every 8 weeks, so be sure to have your say.

Webinar recording: Introduction to aged care reforms – a regulatory perspective

According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, on 8 and 13 September 2022, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission hosted the first of its reform webinars. The ‘Introduction to aged care sector reform – a regulatory perspective’ webinar provided an overview of the new Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Act, focusing on regulation of:

• the extension of SIRS to home services
• the introduction of a Code of Conduct for Aged Care
• strengthened provider governance
• the use of restricted practices.

The webinar recordings, and details on upcoming reform webinars, are available on the Commission’s website. Q&As for the webinars will shortly be available via this link. Providers are encouraged to share the link with colleagues unable to attend the live events.

Aged care shake-up forces councils to review services

According to Community Care Review, councils are having to rethink the future of their home support services with the aged care sector set for a shake-up following the aged care royal commission. As part of the changes, a new Support at Home Program will replace the current regime of federally funded home care services, some of which are delivered at a local government level.

Legislation

Aged Care Amendment (Implementing Care Reform) Bill 2022 [CTH] – introduced to Senate 26 September 2022

The Aged Care Amendment (Implementing Care Reform) Bill 2022 seeks to amend the Aged Care Act 1997 (Aged Care Act) to implement a series of urgent measures that will give older Australians the dignity and respect they deserve. These amendments are intended to enable meaningful, practical improvements to the delivery of aged care services and to provide greater oversight and understanding of what funds are being used for. These measures put the quality of care and safety of older Australians first.

Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Reportable Incidents) Instrument 2022 [CTH] – commenced 3 October 2022

This instrument amends the Quality of Care Principles 2014 to deem reportable incidents that involve unlawful sexual contact or inappropriate sexual conduct as Priority 1 incidents.

Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Residential Aged Care Funding) Instrument 2022 [CTH] - commenced 1 October 2022

This instrument amends several legislative instruments made under the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to replace the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) with the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) as the residential aged care subsidy calculation model from 1 October 2022.