Your Aged Care Update # 46/24
Notable dates
Webinar: 3 new staffing quality indicators
3 December
Sector pulse survey
Closes 13 December
Consultation: How Star Ratings are calculated
Closes 13 December
News about the reforms
The new Aged Care Bill passed Parliament
Parliament passed the Aged Care Bill on 25 November. This means the new Aged Care Act can start from 1 July 2025.
Many of the changes under the Act will make it easier for providers and workers to focus on delivering safe, high-quality care.
We are continuing consultation on the Aged Care Rules, which will give more detail on how the Act will operate so that everyone knows what they need to do and when.
The current consultation – Stage 2a – is focused on funding for the Support at Home program. You can get involved in Stage 2a up until 6 December.
We will be working over the coming months to help you prepare for the changes. This will include providing training materials, delivering workshops and webinars and other activities.
More information:
read about the new Aged Care Act
Sector news
Deeming validation update
We have contacted most government-funded providers through the deeming validation process.
The process helps us understand what services providers are delivering before the new Aged Care Act comes into effect. It allows providers to check their registration details and proposed registration categories under the new Act based on our current service data.
If you haven’t already, please complete the Contact Nomination Request and Deeming Validation Survey sent to you so we can confirm your details.
Some providers are still to be contacted.
Find out more.
For any queries, email AgedCareRegModel@health.gov.au.
myGovID is now myID
The Australian Government’s Digital ID app, myGovID, has changed its name to myID.
There’s a new name and look, but you’ll continue to use it in the same way.
You’ll see the myID app update for different services from late November.
You can continue to use the app to access online government services, including GPMS, the Aged Care Gateway and the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal.
Find out more.
Residential care
Consultation: General Practice in Aged Care Incentive
An independent consultant is evaluating the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive and we are seeking feedback.
If you’re involved in the operations, staffing and clinical processes of a residential aged care home, we want to hear from you. This will help us understand more about the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive, including:
experiences in participating
impacts and challenges for staff
areas for improvement.
It aims to improve primary care for residents living in aged care homes. Your insights will contribute to shaping the future of aged care and primary care.
Take the online survey now. It will take 20 minutes to complete.
Consultation closes 19 December.
Restrictive Practices Framework extended
The Minister for Aged Care has extended the restrictive practice substitute decision-maker framework until 1 December 2026.
The framework establishes a hierarchy of who can consent to the use of a restrictive practice and only applies if:
the older person cannot give informed consent themselves
the state or territory where the older person lives does not have a legal framework to appoint a restrictive practice substitute decision-maker.
Restrictive practices in aged care can only be used as a last resort and if other legal pre-conditions have been met. If used, they must be used for the shortest time and in the least restrictive way possible to prevent harm.
Find out more.
Maggie Beer Foundation’s free training hubs
Encourage your cooks and chefs to sign up for the Maggie Beer Foundation’s free online training. The foundation has new sessions for 2025.
Kitchen staff will attend online training for 2.5 hours a week over 3 weeks. They’ll complete coursework to reinforce learning and get tailored feedback.
The training will help aged care homes to:
improve food and nutrition for residents
potentially reduce residents’ unplanned weight loss, falls and pressure injuries
boost kitchen efficiency
get ready for the new Aged Care Quality Standards
potentially improve quality indicator data, which influences your home’s Star Rating.
The foundation also offers exclusive training for providers with 20 or more kitchen staff.
Register for training or express interest in exclusive training.
In-home care
Webinar: Reading tools for people who are blind or have low vision
Vision Australia is hosting a webinar for Commonwealth Home Support Programme providers. It is about reading tools for older people who are blind or have low vision.
When: Wednesday 4 December, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (AEDT).
It will discuss:
magnification aids
using artificial intelligence to read and recognise text
reading with mainstream technologies people may already have at home.
Workforce
Grants open: Revised Home Care Workforce Support Program
Grant applications are now open for the Regional, Rural and Remote Home Care Workforce Support Program.
The program will:
support providers in regional, rural and remote locations to expand their local home care workforce
provide training for personal care workers to develop the skills required to work in aged care
recruit and retain 4,000 personal care workers in locations with acute workforce shortages.
Grant applications close 6 January 2025.
Learn more.
Culturally inclusive service delivery course
The Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra (Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care NSW/ACT) is providing a free course for people working in aged care.
It will provide information and tools to support service delivery for older people from diverse backgrounds.
Register now.