Aged Care Quality Bulletin #56 - August 2023
In this issue
Commissioner’s message
In 2021, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended that a new Aged Care Act be developed to replace the current Aged Care Act 1997, and work on the new legislation is now well underway. The Department of Health and Aged Care, which is leading this effort, is looking for your input.
The new rights-based Act will ensure that the people receiving aged care are at the centre of decision making. It will also introduce a new regulatory model which will have far-reaching implications for both providers and the Commission. For the Commission, the aim will be to strengthen our effectiveness in protecting and improving the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life of all aged care recipients.
The department is looking for feedback on the foundations, or building blocks, of what will be the new Act. Your insights will inform the drafting of the new legislation. You have until 8 September to have your say and I encourage you to contribute your thoughts and suggestions. You can read more about the consultation process in this issue.
The new 24/7 registered nurse cover responsibilities have now been in place for 2 months. As I’m sure you are all aware, from 1 July, aged care homes across Australia are required to have a registered nurse onsite and on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The first reports received by the department show positive results and over time, it is hoped that this will lead to improved clinical care and oversight in residential aged care.
To mark the start of our Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline last month, the Minister for Aged Care, the Hon Anika Wells MP issued a media release. People receiving aged care, their carers and family members can call our dedicated number, 1800 844 044, to report concerns or complaints with their food and dining experience. Providers can use the Hotline to seek advice, support and education on food-related matters. People calling the Hotline can also access experts such as dietitians and speech pathologists.
Aged care reforms update
Have your say about the new Aged Care Act
A public consultation on the foundations of the new Aged Care Act is now underway.
The Department of Health and Aged Care is developing the new Act as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended.
The new Act recognises older people are at the centre of the aged care system and provides the framework for important change within the sector.
Once it’s passed in Parliament, the new Act is planned to start on 1 July 2024. It will replace existing legislation, including the current Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018.
Have your say
The department is asking for feedback by Friday 8 September on the new Act’s foundations. The foundations are some of the core components that will make up the new rights-based Act.
The department wants feedback from:
older people, their families and carers
aged care providers
the aged care sector.
More information and how you can provide feedback is on the department’s Aged Care Engagement Hub. This includes:
a consultation paper
fact sheets
diagrams
frequently asked questions
a recording of the webinar about the new Act held on 10 August
workshop details
a survey.
The department expects to release an Exposure Draft of the Bill for the new Act for consultation in late 2023.
The Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia and the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) are facilitating consultation forums in August and September across Australia. For more information visit OPAN’s website.
First figures released on 24/7 registered nurse cover in aged care
On 10 August, the Minister for Aged Care, the Hon Anika Wells MP released a report of the first figures on 24/7 registered nurse coverage in residential aged care.
The report and dashboard show that:
95% of residential aged care homes have provided the details of their first month of data for 24/7 registered nurse cover
on average, there is a registered nurse onsite in aged care homes 98% of the time
on average, there is a registered nurse onsite in aged care homes for 23.5 hours a day
86% of aged care homes now have a nurse onsite 24/7
most of the remaining homes are very close to 24/7 coverage.
This is a great start. 24/7 nursing improves the safety and quality of care for residents and prevents unnecessary trips to hospital emergency departments. As Minister Wells said, ‘24/7 registered nursing is not just a pass or fail. Data from across our aged care reforms continues to demonstrate a positive trajectory.’
Are you prepared? Care minutes targets from 1 October 2023
Residential aged care providers will need to meet care minutes targets from 1 October 2023.
The care minutes allocations associated with each Australian National Aged Care Classification (ANACC) class will also change on this date.
This means that your service’s average care minutes targets may change to align with your overall care funding.
To prepare for these changes, please check your service’s estimated care minutes targets using the AN-ACC funding and care minutes estimator now.
You can view the care minutes targets for the October to December quarter in the My Aged Care service and support portal from 15 September 2023.
To support the introduction of mandatory care minutes, the Department of Health and Aged Care is hosting a webinar on 5 September from 2.00 pm – 3.00 pm AEST.
Presenters from the department and the Commission will provide information about the mandatory care minutes policy to help providers understand their responsibilities and make sure they are prepared.
You can register on the department’s website.
You can submit questions when you register and ask questions during the session. The presentation slides will be published on the department’s website before the webinar, and a recording will be published after the webinar.
The Commission will also be holding a webinar in the coming weeks on mandatory care minutes and providers’ responsibilities. You will be able to register for this on our webinar page once it is scheduled.
Strengthening Quality Standards Pilot update
Our strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards pilot is nearly finished. Most audits have now been conducted and we are collating feedback from participating providers.
Over the next couple of months, we will be evaluating the pilot findings to see how our new assessment methodology and the strengthened standards worked in practice. We will share this feedback with the Department of Health and Aged Care and publish our findings on our website.
We’re now planning the resources needed to support implementation of the strengthened Standards. This will include guidance, webinars, videos and education resources.
We encourage you to read our Strengthened Standards framework analysis. This document explains the changes to the Standards and may help with your implementation planning.
We recommend that you visit our Stronger Standards, Better Aged Care Program page regularly to view updates on the pilot. You can also read the questions and answers from our recent webinar on the Stronger Standards, Better Aged Care program.
Changes to governing body membership requirements
Providers need the right mix of people to lead, oversee, manage and deliver the high-quality care and services that older Australians deserve. This includes having a governing body comprising independent members with a good balance of skills and experience.
New provisions relating to governing body membership start on 1 December 2023. For providers approved since 1 December 2022, these requirements are already in effect.
Providers must make sure that their governing body:
has a majority of independent non-executive members, and
at least one member with experience in providing clinical care.
These changes don’t apply to providers that have a governing body of less than 5 members and provide care to less than 40 care recipients. State and territory government bodies and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations are also exempt.
If a provider is required to meet the governing body membership provisions but is not able to, they can apply to the Commission for a determination that one or both requirements don’t apply. The provider must supply evidence that demonstrates how they will maintain quality of care while not meeting the new membership provisions.
You can read more about the new requirements on our Strengthening provider governance page.
Understanding your role in the SIRS
The Commission has a range of resources and tools to help providers understand the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) and incident management responsibilities.
Because there are differences in how SIRS applies in different settings, such as in residential care or home services, it’s important to get the right information about this.
Our recently launched ‘Your role in the SIRS’ online tool can help you understand your role based on the type of service you work in.
Using this interactive tool, you can choose information relevant for:
managing an aged care service or working directly with people receiving care and services
working in home services or working in residential aged care.
You’ll then be presented with information about incident management systems and your SIRS responsibilities, matched to your role and service type.
This information includes:
preparing for incident management
responding, recording and reporting when an incident happens
continuous improvement and what to do after an incident.
Visit the SIRS provider resources webpage for more resources.
Younger people in residential aged care
Historically, younger people with disability requiring around-the-clock care have had limited options for supported accommodation other than residential aged care. But of course, the needs of a younger person with disability can be very different from those of an older person.
Residential aged care providers with younger people with disability in their care
The Summer Foundation has a free service to support residential aged care providers and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants living in their care. The Summer Foundation can:
help you to explore suitable housing options for the people with disability living in your care
provide you with resources, tools and options for the professional development for your staff.
You can call 1300 508 945 or email racengagement@summerfoundation.org.au for more information.
Younger people in residential aged care, their families and supporters
The Housing Hub has a free service for younger people living in aged care. The Residential Aged Care Services Coordination program supports NDIS participants living in aged care to understand the funding and support that can:
increase their ability to take part in the community
make sure that equipment and therapy are in place to support their quality of life
help them look at the options for moving out of aged care and into the community.
You can call 0455 115 164 or email melissa.efstathiou@housinghub.org.au to learn how they can work with you to support your unique needs.
Technology in aged care
Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation (ARIIA) is doing research to explore the value of the online information on their Knowledge and Implementation Hub (the Hub). They want to understand how this online information is accessed and used.
They’re looking for people who have accessed the technology and aged care content on the Hub. If you want to take part in this study, you will need to complete an online survey to give your feedback about the resources you have used.
The survey will take about 10 minutes. You can find out more about this study on the ARIIA website, or go directly to the anonymous survey.
Digital transformation tech talk
The Department of Health and Aged Care is holding a series of digital transformation tech talk webinars to open a conversation with the sector. The next webinar is on 7 September from 2.00 pm – 3.30 pm AEST.
In these webinars:
the department will share an update on its data and digital strategy
the Australian Digital Health Agency will provide information on some of its key digital transformation initiatives.
You can register for the webinar and find more information on Digital transformation for the aged care sector on the department’s website.
Food, nutrition and dining
Food, Nutrition and Dining hotline resources
The Commission’s Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline is now live and can be called on 1800 844 044, 9am to 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday. People receiving aged care, their representatives, approved providers and aged care staff can call the hotline with questions and concerns about food, nutrition and dining.
We have also developed 2 fact sheets to help people receiving aged care and providers to understand the functions of the hotline, the types of questions or issues we can help with, and what to expect when you call:
‘Do you have questions, concerns or complaints about your food, nutrition and dining in aged care?’ – consumer fact sheet
‘About the Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline' – provider fact sheet.
New oral health resources
Oral health is an important part of an aged care resident’s daily care. Poor oral health can directly impact a person’s quality of life and their ability to enjoy dining.
If a person’s eating and drinking is affected, it can cause dehydration, malnutrition and weight loss. We have developed a range of resources for both people receiving aged care and providers to help them understand the signs to look for and how to maintain a resident’s oral health.
We also have 2 new videos:
An introduction to oral health for residents and their families
An introduction to oral health for residential aged care providers and workers.
Food for thought – the Happy Hour Trolley
In this issue, we’re introducing a new feature called ‘Food for thought’ to promote inspirational ideas we have collected from you – the aged care sector.
Our first theme to inspire you is the ‘Happy Hour Trolley’. Think mocktails and fun snacks!
The trolley serves up:
bite-sized tasty treats and morsels (which can be held in the hand without the need for a plate or cutlery)
colourful, fruit or milk-based smoothies served in decorative plastic cocktail glasses and garnished with little paper umbrellas, striped straws, and swizzle sticks to give a festive feel.
You can roll it out for special occasions or on a regular basis. When providers have presented this simple yet engaging idea to residents, they report that it generates a ‘buzz’, increases enjoyment in the dining experience and brings the community together. It can also have a positive impact on both the mental and physical wellbeing of residents. Add a little music to brighten the festivities.
If you have a food, nutrition or dining story or idea to share, we’d love to hear from you! Please send them through to info@agedcarequality.gov.au.
Clinical update
Medication management in residential aged care
The Department of Health and Aged Care and the Commission have been made aware of instances where pharmacy charges for medication packaging and delivery are being passed on to aged care residents. We would like to remind you of your obligations as approved providers of Australian Government funded residential aged care.
Aged care homes must have a medication administration system in place to make sure that medication is administered safely to the right people, in the correct quantities, at the correct times (refer to Guiding principles for medication management in residential aged care facilities). You must also have a system for safe ordering, reordering and storage. These costs are reflected in your AN-ACC funding and are the responsibility of the approved provider. They can’t be passed on to the resident.
For more information, you can read the recent letter to providers from Janet Anderson PSM, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, and Michael Lye, Deputy Secretary Ageing and Aged Care Group, Department of Health and Aged Care.
Infection prevention and control resources
Infection prevention and control is a vital part of delivering safe and quality care. Providers are responsible for making sure that their policies, practices and processes are up to date. They must also ensure that their staff have the right training and skills to manage infection prevention and control.
To help providers to meet these responsibilities, we have developed resources to support leaders and managers in aged care services.
Infection prevention and control online tool
We’ve updated our Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) online tool.
The tool can help you:
access our new IPC governance self-assessment checklists to assess your IPC processes
find resources on key IPC topics including environmental hygiene and cleaning, hand hygiene, IPC health and safety, IPC principles, personal protective equipment and ventilation devices.
Webinars
Provider governance
Tuesday 19 September, 1:00 pm AEST
This webinar will go through the provider governance reforms that start on 1 December 2023. The speakers will also discuss the measures that are already in place, answering the most frequently asked questions. Initiatives from the Governing for Reform in Aged Care program to support these changes will also be highlighted.
Speakers:
Janet Anderson PSM, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner
Ann Wunsch, Executive Director Approvals and Serious Incident Notifications
Pam Christie, Executive Director Strategic Projects.
Recording available – Financial and prudential regulation
The recording and presentation slides are now available from our 15 August webinar, Financial and prudential regulation.
The webinar discussed financial and prudential regulation in aged care and included:
our Financial and Prudential Regulation team and the activities we undertake
how and when providers may be engaged
our approach to compliance and risk assessment
case studies on financial and prudential regulation.
Recording available – Oral and dental health and its impact on eating and nutrition
The recording and presentation slides from our 11 August webinar, Oral and dental health and its impact on eating and nutrition, are now available.
In this webinar we looked at the actions that residential aged care services can take to support the daily oral health of their residents.
Topics included:
common oral health problems and their impacts on the dining experience
signs of oral and dental issues
the role of oral health in nutrition
best practices for good routine oral and dental care including in a dementia setting
denture care and maintenance.
Governing for reform
Clinical governance for non-clinicians – Webinar
Wednesday 13 September, 12:00 pm AEST
Strong clinical and corporate governance is vital for aged care providers. Ultimately, governing body members need to understand both.
To learn more about how you and your governing body and executive team can improve clinical governance, the Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program invites you to the upcoming webinar on Clinical governance for non-clinicians: the importance of a shared approach, on Wednesday 13 September 2023, 12 pm (AEST).
In this webinar, you will learn about the practical actions, systems, processes and behaviours governing bodies should have in place to make sure you carry out your clinical governance responsibilities.
To register for this webinar, enrol in the Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program.
Infection prevention and control resources
As part of the Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program, board members and leaders can access IPC resources including:
Infection Prevention and Control learning module:
This module explains the infection prevention and control obligations and responsibilities of provider executive teams and governing body members.Consumer Health and Safety Toolkit:
This toolkit has information about provider obligations and the role of governing bodies to improve consumer health and manage risks, including those for infection prevention and control.Outbreak Management in Residential Aged Care Discussion Paper:
Part of the For the Board Kit, this discussion paper helps chairs and CEOs to involve their whole governing body in discussions about governance topics and issues about the aged care sector reforms.
Training and resources
The ageing process
The Commission’s new ‘The ageing process’ learning module looks at ageing and its impact on people in care.
This learning resource helps aged care workers to learn about:
the ageing process and its effect on the body’s systems
common health conditions caused by the effects of ageing
typical changes associated with ageing
attributes which support healthy ageing.
It's important to remember that the ageing process is not linear and will be different for everyone receiving care and services. This module will help care workers to know when to raise concerns they have about people in their care.
Access to the Commission’s Aged Care Learning Information Solution (Alis) is free for all staff of approved aged care providers. For further information, visit the Commission's website.
Online workshops for approved providers
The Commission regularly hosts online workshops for approved providers of residential aged care and home services.
Upcoming workshops in September include:
The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) within home services
Monitor and assess the performance of your service for residential and home services
5 key areas of risk for home services
Understanding the Quality Standards.
Visit our Workshops webpage for further information and registration details.
New resources
Applying procedural fairness to regulatory decisions – fact sheet
Are you alert and ready? Safeguarding against infectious illness in aged care settings
Stronger Standards, Better Aged Care Program – provider fact sheet
Stronger Standards, Better Aged Care Program – older Australians fact sheet
About the Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline – provider fact sheet
Do you have questions, concerns or complaints about your food, nutrition and dining in aged care?