Your Aged Care Update # 43/24
Notable dates
Provider operations reporting overdue
31 October
Webinar: New regulatory model
14 November
Webinar: General Practice in Aged Care Incentive
13 November
In this issue
News about the reforms
Sector news
Review provider registration categories
We are moving providers into proposed registration categories to prepare for the new regulatory model.
Providers will be moved into categories based on:
types of services delivered
services required in funding arrangements.
You will have an opportunity to review your information and proposed registration categories, through a validation process.
We are progressively contacting providers about this process. You will receive an email with the details and a deadline.
If you have any questions, email AgedCareRegModel@health.gov.au.
Webinar: Digital Transformation
You are invited to join a webinar on our digital transformation work. This webinar is for the aged care sector and IT professionals.
When: Wednesday 13 November, 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (AEDT).
Join us to hear updates on:
our digital roadmap
Monthly Care Statements
managing your organisation in the Government Provider Management System (GPMS)
the October digital release
Register now.
We run regular webinars on our digital transformation work: Watch past Tech Talk webinars.
Flu vaccination reporting
Residential aged care and home care providers need to report on influenza vaccinations as at 31 October for:
staff who have voluntarily provided vaccination information
aged care residents, where applicable.
This information helps us plan and support 2025 vaccination activities to better protect residents and staff from infectious diseases.
Please complete the online reporting form as soon as possible. The form will close on 7 February 2025.
Free translating and interpreting services
Providers can use free translating and interpreting services to communicate with people in their care in their preferred language.
This includes:
Free translation service – translation of materials into other languages.
TIS National interpreting service – 24/7 access including phone, on-site and video remote interpreting.
Deaf Connect - sign language interpreting and captioning service, available in-person and online.
For more information, visit translating and interpreting services for aged care.
You can also direct older people to information in other languages.
Residential care
Express your interest: menu and mealtime reviews
We invite residential aged care providers to apply for a free menu and mealtime review. This includes an on-site review by an accredited practising dietitian.
It will help you meet the new food and nutrition Quality Standard and improve your food and dining services.
The program will prioritise:
services from rural, remote and very remote communities
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program providers
services with under 60 residents
services with low scores on the Residents’ Experience Survey question ‘do you like the food here?’
small and medium providers with no more than 10 services.
Express your interest for one or more residential aged care services by 4 December.
Preparing for the allocation of Places to People
From 1 July 2025, places in residential aged care will be allocated directly to the person approved for residential aged care services, instead of being allocated to providers.
This means that providers will no longer have to apply for places or be limited by places allocated through an approvals round. All residential aged care place allocations to providers will cease to exist.
Providers will be able to make more independent business decisions about where they build and operate their residential care homes and what services they provide.
Providers will need to write off any bed licenses on their balance sheets before the new arrangements begin. Until the change commences, bed ready providers can continue to apply for care places if they can immediately provide care.
Find out more.
In-home care
CHSP provider survey
We encourage Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers to complete our 2025-27 extension survey.
Your feedback will help us to align the CHSP with the new Aged Care Act from 1 July 2025. It will also help to prepare for the transition to the Support at Home program, which will begin no earlier than 1 July 2027.
This survey seeks feedback on:
unit pricing
Data Exchange reporting
Specialised Support Services
Sector Support and Development.
Complete the online survey now. It will take around 20-30 minutes to complete.
As part of our validation process, you will need your provider ABN to access the survey. Each organisation will only be able to complete the survey once.
The survey closes on 13 November.
Home Care Packages provider manual update
We have updated the Home Care Packages Program Operational Manual to address gaps in guidance, including further clarification on the program’s inclusions and exclusions.
These updates respond to questions and feedback the department and Minister of Aged Care received directly and through the Home Care Community of Practice.
We also updated the Inclusions and Exclusions FAQs factsheet to help you to have informed conversations with your care recipients.
To learn more, see the summary of changes.
Workforce
People from diverse backgrounds living with dementia
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 and care for older people from diverse backgrounds living with dementia.
Register now or see all available courses.
Webinar: End of life and cultural diversity
Swinburne University’s Wellbeing Clinic is holding a webinar on delivering a culturally inclusive approach to people in palliative care.
When: Friday 15 November, 4:45 pm to 6:00 pm (AEDT).
It will discuss how we can understand death, dying and palliative care from a culturally inclusive perspective.
This webinar is for people working in aged care, as well as psychologists, social workers, counsellors and volunteers who work with older people.
Register now.
For more information, see Swinburne University’s webinar schedule.