Aged care news highlights from the week ending 08 March 2020.

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 and Critical Success Solutions.

Commission cracks down on known poor hygiene performers

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the aged care regulator is moving to “urgently” scrutinise facilities with a poor infection control record as coronavirus starts to spread in the community. At the same time, the health department is bringing aged care stakeholders together today to help providers prepare for an outbreak. Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Janet Anderson issued updated advice to all aged care services this week in light of the unfolding coronavirus situation. The advice is reminding services of “their infection responsibilities under the Aged Care Quality Standards to have appropriate infection control measures in place in light of the COVID-19 situation and the approaching influenza season,” Ms Anderson told Australian Ageing Agenda.

Govt forum to update providers on responding to coronavirus

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the federal health department is bringing experts and aged care stakeholders together in Canberra on 6 March to provide information on the coronavirus and help providers prepare for an outbreak. The forum will bring together around 70 representatives from across the aged care sector including providers, peak bodies, workforce, consumers, state and territory governments and professional bodies to discuss key issues including infection control and epidemic planning. As with the flu, the coronavirus or COVID-19 particularly affects the elderly, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said.

More cases of COVID-19 confirmed at Sydney facility, staff walk out

According to Aged Care Insite, the suspected coronavirus outbreak at a Sydney aged care facility has been confirmed, with one resident dead from the illness – causing staff to collectively walk out, as reported by The Australian. NSW health has confirmed the 95-year-old female resident from Sydney’s Dorothy Henderson Lodge at Macquarie Park – a BaptistCare facility – died of COVID-19 and one other resident has been confirmed to have contracted the virus. An aged care nurse at the facility aged in her 50s was confirmed positive for the virus on Tuesday and is in a stable condition in hospital. Eleven of the 13 residents she was caring for have been placed in isolation while another resident, an 82-year-old man, was confirmed to have COVID-19. After news of the outbreak was confirmed by BaptistCare, The Australian reports that aged care staff collectively called in sick, forcing the NSW Health department to step in. “Just this afternoon, NSW Health has had to agree to fund NSW Health staff into a nursing home that has had some coronavirus issues and its staff have become, for whatever reason, unavailable,” said NSW Health minister Brad Hazzzard. Staff who did go to work at the facility on Wednesday said they were not given any information about what was happening. Elsewhere, poor performing aged care facilities deemed most at risk of a coronavirus outbreak will be audited by the Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission, commissioner Janet Anderson told senate estimates, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Aged care worker, residents diagnosed with COVID-19, facilities at risk

According to Aged Care Insite, the coronavirus COVID-19 is on the march across the globe and appears to be gaining a foothold here in Australia with the news of more person-to-person transmissions in NSW. The number of cases confirmed in the state now stands at 22. Reports that a Sydney aged care worker has contracted the virus have been confirmed, with one death at the Sydney aged care facility along with one other confirmed case. A number of healthcare workers are said to have come in contact with the virus unknowingly and panic is setting in across the nation, with people stripping supermarket shelves of essential goods such as toilet paper. As of 5 March, there is a total of 93 090 reported cases of COVID-19 globally, and 3110 deaths. Australia currently has confirmed 52 cases of the virus.

RC calls for entitlement aged care system

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the residential and home aged care and support programs should be combined into a single program as soon as possible with demand-driven funding based on assessed need, the royal commission has been advised.  To achieve this, funding needs to be linked to actual costs and not rationed, Senior Counsel Assisting Peter Gray told the royal commissioners at a hearing in Adelaide on Wednesday. Counsel Assisting’s proposal calls for a casemix funding classification model for residential care, an overall reorientation toward wellbeing and independence and assessments conducted by a national network of multi-disciplinary assessment teams.

Peak bodies support staff minimums if there is increased funding

According to Aged Care Guide, following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety hearing in Adelaide last week, which focussed on the industry workforce, peak bodies have responded saying they support minimum staffing levels if there is an increase to funding for the workforce.

Addressing community care’s technology pain points

According to Community Care Review, the Aged Care Industry Technology Council (ACIITC) is calling for an improved interface between home and community care providers and government as part of its vision for the future of the sector. Anne Livingstone, chair of the council’s national home care group, provided an overview of ACIITC’s submission to the royal commission at the ITAC conference in Brisbane. The submission, handed to the commission last October, says the aged care industry is in an era of unprecedented change. But it says there has been a “concerning lack of attention to enhancing technology uptake” and innovative approaches to aged care by funders, policy makers and providers.

No privatised aged care watchdog: minister

According to Aged Care Insite, the federal aged care minister says states and territories would be responsible for proposed aged care assessment teams. There has been speculation the government was looking to privatise the watchdog, but Richard Colbeck has told a Senate estimates hearing the teams would be run by governments and “not anyone outside that process”. “My understanding is the service will effectively be provided by the states and territories,” he told the hearing in Canberra on Wednesday.

Alis – Aged Care Commission’s new online learning solution – is live

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s new Aged Care Learning Information Solution, or Alis, is now live and ready for people across the country to use. Alis extends the reach and opens up access to the Commission’s education programs for aged care services. Anyone with a registration, internet connection and suitable device can access Alis anywhere at any time. The first learning program focuses on the Aged Care Quality Standards, in particular:

• understanding the intent and application of the Quality Standards
• understanding some of the key concepts within each of the Quality Standards
• understanding the importance of working with consumers in achieving quality outcomes
• demonstrating compliance with the Quality Standards.

All Commonwealth-funded aged care service providers are being offered four free registrations until the end of March 2021 so they can evaluate the benefits of Alis. You can also purchase more registrations to support your organisation’s ongoing professional development.

Additional risk assessment of compulsory reports

According to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, the Government has provided funding through its mid-year budget process for the Commission to expand its processes in relation to responding to compulsory reports. From 1 March 2020, Commission staff will be looking more closely at incident reports in relation to risk assessment and may follow up with individual approved providers to determine the outcome of internal investigations undertaken in response to incidents.

Study finds dementia prevalent in abuse between residents

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, an aged care provider study has found that abuse between residents typically involves people with cognitive impairment and does not result in physical harm. The research from Victorian provider Benetas explored the prevalence, nature, contributing factors and outcomes of resident‐to‐resident abuse over 12 months across 13 homes with over 900 beds. It concluded that managing behavioural symptoms associated with cognitive impairment was critical to preventing and managing resident-to-resident abuse.

Changes to the My Aged Care authentication service – take action now

According to The Department of Health, the ATO is retiring AUSkey and Manage ABN Connections on 27 March 2020. From 28 March 2020 My Aged Care portals will not be accessible using AUSkey and Manage ABN Connections. Service providers and assessors using those authentication services must transition to a new supported authentication method as soon as possible. You can start using these authentication methods now.

What is a Direction? New Aged Care Commission Fact Sheet Available

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has released a new fact sheet that explains what a direction is and when the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission may decide to give one to a service provider.

Legislation

Nothing in the news this week.

Resources and Upcoming Events

Calculating residential accommodation payments in a leap year

This year is a leap year, with 366 days instead of 365. The Department of Health has received queries from approved providers of residential care seeking advice on how to calculate a daily accommodation payment (DAP) in a leap year. The calculators specified in the Fees and Payments Principles 2014 (No. 2) (the Principles) refer to 365 days for working out:

• the DAP (or contribution) equivalent to a refundable accommodation deposit (RAD) (or contribution)
• the amount of interest on a RAD (or contribution) balance or accommodation bond balance.

Even though 2020 is a leap year, residential care providers should continue to use 365 days when calculating DAP amounts and the interest payable on refunds of lump sum deposits. But please be aware that daily payments and daily contributions are payable for 366 days in 2020.

What Matters Most – New person centred care resources

According to The Department of Health, Palliative Care Australia, through a Dementia and Aged Care Services Fund grant, has launched a suite of resources to encourage early conversations about What Matters Most to older people, their care and their end of life preferences.

Quality Indicators (QIs) pilot – specific service types invited to participate

The Department of Health has engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to assist in the development and pilot to trial the new QIs relating to:

• medication management
• falls and fractures.

To ensure the pilot captures the views and experiences of residential aged care services nationally, the department would like to strongly encourage the following services to take part:

• Services operating in Queensland or remote areas
• Smaller services (less than 50 residential aged care places)
• Previous QI Program pilot participants
• Private (for profit) or State Government services.

Participation in the pilot is an opportunity for your service to trial and provide feedback on these indicators ahead of the implementation of the additional QIs from 1 July 2021. The pilot will commence in February 2020, please register your interest by 27 January 2020.

NATSIFAC Program Bi-Annual One-off Grant Opportunity – Second Approach now open

According to The Department of Health, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care (NATSIFAC) Program 2019-2020 Bi-Annual One-off Grant Opportunity – Second Approach is a targeted, competitive application process. NATSIFAC Program service providers can apply for grant funding to address a clearly identified need that supports the delivery of aged care services. Service providers in remote and very remote Australia (geographical locations defined as Modified Monash Model 6 and 7) will be prioritised. The Grant Opportunity opened on Thursday 16 January 2020. All applications must be received by the department by 2:00pm, Thursday 12 March 2020.

6 steps for safe prescribing antipsychotics and benzodiazepines in residential aged care

Issued by the Department of Health, this infographic outlines the 6 steps for safe prescribing antipsychotics and benzodiazepines in residential aged care.

Aged care video alert: Dignity of risk

According to Lexology, the concept of dignity of risk is not entirely new, however it now has a position of prominence in aged care with the Aged Care Quality Standards. In this video update, senior associate Dr Melanie Tan explains:

• What does dignity of risk mean?
• Where and when does dignity of risk apply?
• What is the duty of care within dignity of risk?

ITAC 2020 Transforming Independence Through Innovative Technology – 3,4 March 2020, Royal ICC Brisbane

According to Australian Ageing Agenda, exhibitors at this year’s conference include:

• Souped Up Catering software
• Telstra Health and
• Webstercare

Webinar: Update on new aged care assessment arrangements – 11 March 2020, 2.00 pm – 3.00 pm (AEDT)

According to The Department of Health, this webinar will provide an update on the development of new aged care assessment arrangements and address common themes arising from stakeholder questions during the December 2019 webinar. The new arrangements will start from April 2021, providing a streamlined process for consumers to access aged care services.

5^th Quality in Aged Care Conference – 18-19 March 2020, Sydney

Criterion Conferences is combining the two areas of Quality and Customer Experience into one streamed event. After a year of public scrutiny and negative publicity, and with the Royal Commission Final Report on the horizon, this is your chance to join with industry leaders and experts and unpack key issues with a vision for person-centred, best practice approaches.

Dementia Australian National Symposium – 24 March 2020, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney

According to Aged Care Insite, we are bringing an impressive line-up of local and international leaders to equip you to lead industry transformation. You will leave inspired, equipped and ready for change.

10^th Annual Australian Healthcare Week – 25-26 March 2020, Sydney

Australian Healthcare Week is the largest healthcare event in Australia, bringing together over 7,000 healthcare professionals under the one roof for two days of networking, learning and collaboration. Celebrating our 10th Birthday in 2020, Australian Healthcare Week is returning to the International Convention Centre in Sydney on the 25 - 26 March 2020 and is all about continuously improving our hospitals and workforce for the future. It’s free to attend.

Financial Transformation in Aged Care Conference – 29-30 April 2020, Sydney

Criterion Conferences is hosting a Financial Transformation in Aged Care Conference. Developed in partnership with COTA Australia and ACSA, this event is your opportunity to voice your concerns, strategise with leading providers, and actively engage in dialogue that will build a stronger, sustainable future for your organisation and the industry.

2018-19 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997

According to the Department of Health, the 2018-19 Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997 is now available from the GEN Aged Care Data website. The report details the operation of Australia’s aged care system during the 2018–19 financial year and provides a snapshot of the system as a whole. It is delivered to Parliament each year by the Minister in accordance with section 63-2 of the Aged Care Act 1997.

2^nd Governance in Aged Care Conference – 20-21 May 2020, Doltone House Hyde Park Sydney

According to Criterion Conferences, the 2nd Governance in Aged Care conference has been developed in partnership with COTA Australia and ACSA to support you to effectively lead and govern your aged care service into the future. You will walk away with a deeper understanding of what good governance structures and culture looks like in practice, and how you could apply this to your own organisation.