Monthly Newsletter
The Essential Aged Care Roundup for Busy People
Current Issue of the Monthly Roundup:
September 2024
For many aged care managers and their team, the winter months have been busy with reports and day-to-day operations. It can feel much like a hurdler – trying to overcome several obstacles in the shortest possible time.
September is likely to be another pivotal month in aged care reform with the Aged Care Act again before parliament this week.
Read this month's essential roundup for all the latest industry news.
Essential news in this issue:
Provider Registration
When the new Act is proclaimed, the Department will automatically set up existing providers as ‘registered providers' in the new registration categories according to the services they currently deliver.
The New Aged Care Act
The Australian parliament is again considering the New Aged Care Act during the September sitting, and the Industry will be keen to see what happens after a significant delay.
Operations Data Collection Due
Residential and home care providers need to submit data for the 2023–2024 reporting period.
Older Issues Archive
August 2024
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE AUGUST 2024 NEWSLETTER
The recent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Sector Performance Report findings for the Jan – March QTR identified that over a quarter of providers audited in the period failed at least one requirement of Standard 2 (Assessment and Care Planning, with Standard 8 (Governance) also recording high levels of non-compliance.
The most common complaints made to the Commission are still about clinical issues in residential care. For home care services, the majority of complaints are about communication and financial issues.
Essential News in this issue:
>> CALD Communication Project:The Commission is seeking expressions of interest from providers, workers and older people and their communities to take part in a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communications project.
>> 3G Shutdown – impact on client wellbeing and safety: Major telecommunication providers are switching off their 3G networks on 1 September 2024. This will affect all 3G enabled devices including phones, medical and personal alarms.
>> Monthly Care Statements – Residential Care: The Department of Health and Aged Care is encouraging all residential aged care providers to offer Monthly Care Statements to residents from 1 October 2024.
July 2024
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE JULY 2024 NEWSLETTER
Happy New (Financial) Year!
Like many providers, we were busy with the EOFY rush of reports, budgeting, and responding to quotes, especially for training and auditing with organisations looking to utilise 23-24 funds. Hence the newsletter is a little late this month but it's jam-packed with essential information (including aged care reports due or coming up).
Essential News in this issue:
>> SIRS Incident Impact Assessment Tool:The ACQ&SC has developed an Impact Assessment Tool to help providers identify whether an incident has had an impact on a person.
>> Single Assessment System for Aged Care: On the 1st July 2024 the first stage of the Single Assessment System for Aged Care was introduced. The aim of the system is to simplify the intake process for older people seeking aged care services.
>> CHSP Manual Update: CHSP providers should review the July 2024 changes to the manual by reading through the ‘Summary of Changes’ or downloading the full manual.
June 2024
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE JUNE 2024 NEWSLETTER
Well, we did say it was coming, but boy… neither Carrie, I, or our team thought the month of June would literally be a whirlwind of ambulances, hospitals and the dreaded ‘C' word!
Essential News in this issue:
>> Quality Indicator Program coming to in-home care: The National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program is expanding into in-home aged care.
>> Mastering Case Management – Home Care Providers: CDCS will be running Case Management Assessment and Care Planning workshops in Alice Springs and Darwin this month of June.
>> Changes to publication of Room Prices on My Aged Care: On 1 July 2024 the Department of Health will make changes to the My Aged Care service and support portal. These changes will improve room pricing information published on My Aged Care.
May 2024
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE MAY 2024 NEWSLETTER
Autumn has arrived in earnest – and along with it, a rise in respiratory infections: Influenza, RSV and COVID infection rates are all significantly increasing in the broader community. If you haven't reviewed your outbreak plans and infection prevention and control measures, that needs to be a priority!
Essential News in this issue:
>> Menu and Meals Review opportunity: If you’re seeking assistance to review and improve your meals, there's a free national Menu and Mealtime Review Program for residential aged care services. BUT expressions of interest close May 10th so get in quick!
>> Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) Overdue Reminder: Quarter 3 2023-2024 (1 January to 31 March) is now overdue. If your organisation has not submitted a report, you should do so immediately through the Government Provider Management System (GPMS).
>> Home Care Compliance Rates are too low: The Commission is concerned that compliance rates are lower for home services than for residential providers.
April 2024
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE APRIL 2024 NEWSLETTER
Change continues to come from the Sector, and you can find out more about the latest news in this month's edition, including the postponement of the New Aged Care Act!
Essential News in this issue:
>> Delay to the new Aged Care Act: The Federal Government has announced that there will be a delay to the introduction of the new Aged Care Act by 12 months.
>> CHSP Growth Funding 2024-25: Two growth funding rounds for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme will be open shortly. If you are a provider requiring additional funding to address wait lists this will be an important opportunity.
>> Care Minute Reporting: Have you checked that your care minutes reporting is accurate? Are you keeping the supporting documents and able to make them available when requested?
February/March 2024
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 NEWSLETTER
It's March already! And holy dooley, there's a lot happening…
In this month's edition, we have lots of news across both Home Care and Residential care, including some changes to support programs, with the Department instating new suppliers.
Essential News in this issue:
>> Strengthened Quality Standards: The Strengthened Quality Standards are pretty much set except for minor wording changes here and there for clarity. Have your say on them.
>> Specialist Care Provider status: Are you a Provider of Specialist Care? Have you applied for your information to be displayed on My Aged Care?
>> CHSP 24-25 Funding Extension Grant Opportunity: This is now open for current CHSP providers to apply to continue delivering entry-level aged care services until 30 June 2025.
January/February 2024
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER
If you feel like you and your service are under a spotlight, it may be because you are!
Increased transparency is going to be a focus for both Home Care and Residential Care Providers, with financial information to be published on My Aged Care by the end of February.
The Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission will also be conducting prudential compliance audits for residential providers with a history of late financial submissions.
Essential News in this issue:
>> Aged Care Provider Finance and Operations Information Being Published: The Department of Health and Aged Care will publish information about the finances and operations of residential aged care and home care providers.
>> Workforce Support for Rural and Remote Communities: Support to help providers attract, train, and maintain their workforce in rural and remote areas is available.
>> Prudential Compliance Audits: Over the next two months, the Commission will be conducting prudential compliance audits for residential providers with a history of late financial submissions.
December 2023/January 2024
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER
I hope you got a chance to have a break, even if it was only a short one over the Christmas and New Year period, as 2024 is going to be a year full of ‘new' things and more reform!
Essential News in this issue:
>> First Nations Aged Care Commissioner: Andrea Kelly has commenced in the role of Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner.
>> Governing for Reform: From 1 January 2024, the Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program will be available to anyone working in the aged care sector.
>> Home Care Pricing Audit: The Department released a factsheet about home care pricing audits in December 2023. This fact sheet explains the benefits, processes and outcomes of home care pricing audits.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER
November/December 2023
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER
Is it just me, or do you feel like the end of the year has come flying over the hill like a three-trailer roadtrain with its headlights on high beam? The end-of-year run of Commission Quality Reviews for many providers and Department announcements and webinars is certainly keeping everyone on their toes.
Essential News in this issue:
>> Aged Care in Rural and Remote Settings: On 4 December 2023, the Department updated their delivering aged care in rural and remote settings page. If you are not familiar with this web page and you are located in MMM 3 to MMM 7 take a look and see what may be available to support you.
>> Support at Home Program: The new Support at Home program will be rolled out in 2 stages to minimise disruption and ensure continuity of care for older people.
>> Incorrect Care Minutes (Residential Providers): On December 1st, the Department of Health and Aged Care issued an alert about a “data transmission issue.” If your service is affected, you should receive information about how to calculate your own care minutes.
October/November 2023
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER
Sometimes life throws us unexpected events, things that come at us out of left field, things that we couldn't have anticipated. But most of the time we can and should be prepared for events that regularly occur: such as the cyclone and wet season up north, and the bushfire and extreme temperatures season across most of the rest of Australia.
Essential News in this issue:
>> Home Care Pricing Audit: The Commission has launched a Home Care Pricing Audit Program. They will conduct audits with selected home care providers from November 2023 to June 2024.
>> Audit Readiness Reviews: We've been working with a number of providers conducting pre-audit reviews, or mock audits as they are sometimes called. You can, and should be, conducting your own in-house review on a regular basis.
>> Advisory Body Requirements Incoming: The new Aged Consumer Advisory Body and Quality Care Advisory Body requirements applicable for most providers need to be in place by 1st December 2023.
September/October 2023
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 NEWSLETTER
Change and Reform seem to be two keywords very much at the forefront of people's minds at the moment. For those of you in Residential Care you'll see many changes in this Quarter, but that doesn't leave Home Care Providers off the hook!
Essential News in this issue:
>> Provider Operations Report: All providers will need to submit their first signed Provider Operations Report relating to provider governance before the end of October.
>> Quarterly Financial Report: The Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) for quarter 1 of the 2023–24 financial year is due on 4 November 2023 for all providers. There have been some changes to the template for this quarter.
>> Advisory Body Requirements Incoming: The new Aged Consumer Advisory Body and Quality Care Advisory Body requirements applicable for most providers need to be in place by 1st December 2023.
August/September 2023
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WHOLE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER
Many providers are having Quality Reviews and Accreditation visits. Participants in our August ‘Audit Ready Compliance Bootcamp’ found the training and checklists hugely beneficial.
Essential News in this issue:
>> Wage Increases in Aged Care: If you are a Local Government or Council providing aged care services, you might want to check this fact sheet to ensure you are compliant with the recent changes related to wage increases.
>> Food Matters: A dedicated Food, Nutrition and Dining (FND) Advisory Support Unit has been established within the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
>> Manual Updates: The CHSP and Home Care Package Manuals had some further updates in August – if you missed that memo, click here to get more info…
