Aged care news highlights from the week ending 4 March 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.
According to the Department of Health, from today, Monday 28 February, residential aged care facilities (RACFs) can report a resident, worker or visitor COVID-19 case at their service via a new, online COVID-19 Support Portal accessed through the My Aged Care provider portal. This online portal replaces the former email notification of a COVID-19 case outbreak or exposure at a RACF.
As providers transition to the new portal, there are support and resources to help:
The Department of Health would like to remind residential aged care providers that emergency leave is available until 30 June 2022. Whilst this was initially put in place for the COVID-19 pandemic, it can also be used for the current flood emergency in NSW and QLD.
Permanent aged care residents who would like to temporarily relocate to stay with family during the floods (and in the clean-up period afterwards) can take emergency leave, rather than using and potentially exhausting their social leave entitlements. Aged care homes will continue to be paid residential care subsidy when residents are on emergency leave. Residents must continue to pay their normal fees.
Further information on emergency leave is available in a factsheet for residents and a factsheet for providers.
According to Hospital and Healthcare, Australians at risk of progressing to severe Covid-19 disease will now be eligible to access an oral antiviral treatment taken over five days through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Lagevrio (molnupiravir) has been listed on the PBS from 1 March 2022 for eligible adults who test positive for COVID-19 and are at risk of developing severe disease requiring hospitalisation.
According to the Department of Health, on 1 March 2022, the Government of New South Wales announced that residential, in-home and community aged care workers in New South Wales must receive a minimum of three COVID-19 vaccine doses as a condition of employment. Further information is available at:
The updated Public Health (COVID-19 Care Services) Order (No 3) 2021.
According to Hospital and Healthcare, the COVID pandemic has had a huge impact on people living with dementia and their family carers around the world. Our study found people with dementia experienced worse symptoms after the pandemic began.
According to the Department of Health, all aged care providers should be prepared to implement their emergency plans to respond to flood or weather emergencies. To make sure appropriate support is provided as quickly as possible, all aged care providers (residential aged care facilities (RACFs) and in‑home and community aged care providers) must follow existing state and local government pathways to request help:
In Queensland:
Request assistance through your Local Council which will have a Local Disaster Management Plan and link you to the Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) supports. Local Councils and LDMGs are best place to support you for a range of needs, including food, clean up and evacuation. Your Local Council will escalate any issues that require support beyond local assistance.
In New South Wales:
Liaise with local emergency services via Triple Zero (000) to determine the seriousness of any emergency situation and the level of risk posed to your facility and care recipients. Emergency services will then link in at the Local Health District level to prioritise and deliver supports.
These arrangements are well developed. Requesting assistance through these channels will ensure requests can be prioritised as part of whole of government response efforts.
Residential aged care providers
Aged care state and territory emergency contacts
According to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, as explained in the January edition of the Quality Bulletin, improvements to the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) reporting form in the My Aged Care provider portal were made on Monday 28 February. As well as improvements to the form, providers can now submit multiple Priority 2 (P2) incident notifications at the same time, using a new bulk upload function. The Department of Health has updated its ‘Quick Reference Guide: How to access and use the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) portal’ to reflect these latest changes to the SIRS reporting form.
According to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, following the introduction of amendments to the Quality of Care Principles 2014, commencing 1 July and 1 September 2021, the Commission has been asked to clarify how it will regulate providers in relation to their responsibilities under the amended Principles when restrictive practices are used without consent.
This issue specifically relates to the scenario where a resident:
It does not apply to situations where a resident is able to consent to the restrictive practice, but has decided not to. Until this matter is addressed through legislative amendment at either the Commonwealth or state/territory levels, the Commission will be guided by the position outlined in the updated Regulatory Bulletin RB2021-13, ‘Regulation of restrictive practices and the role of the Senior Practitioner, Restrictive Practices’.
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the failure to provide the assessment results and pricing information for the new aged care funding model is hampering providers’ abilities to plan for the next financial year and adding to already unprecedented levels of stress.
According to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, during March and April, the Commission will be running a targeted campaign to help residential aged care providers better understand their obligations when investing refundable deposit balances. To help residential aged care providers with their prudential obligations, we have developed fact sheets on investment management strategies, and the Liquidity Standard within the Prudential Standards.
According to Aged Care Guide, National Seniors Australia, peak body for older Australians, has released its submission for the upcoming Federal Budget, calling for better housing, rolled back work regulations, and positive changes for a greener future.
No significant developments this week.