Help inform aged care reforms

The Department of Health and Aged Care is seeking input on several of areas of aged care reform including preparedness, regulation, and home care payments.

The Department of Health and Aged Care is seeking input on several of areas of aged care reform including preparedness, regulation and payments.

Most of the open consultations respond to recommendations of the aged care royal commission and seek feedback from a range of the sector’s stakeholders.

Among them, the department has launched the first in an ongoing five-minute online survey targeting aged care workers, providers, experts and peak bodies to help shape aged care reform implementation.

The survey aims to better understand stakeholder:

  • knowledge of and preparedness for impending reform activities
  • communication experiences and preferences
  • confidence in the reforms.

The department plans to conduct similar surveys every six to eight weeks to see how these things are changing. This initial survey closes on 5 October 2022.

Aged care regulation

The second stage of the consultation seeking input on designing a new approach to regulating aged care is also underway.

Aged care providers, consumers and experts are invited to provide feedback on government’s proposed model for regulating aged care outlined in the consultation paper A new model for regulating Aged Care.

The 54-page document is the first in a series of consultation papers that will develop the different components of the model in more detail. It features a high-level, end-to-end outline of the new model.

Source: A new model for regulating Aged Care

The proposed regulatory model aims to ensure older Australians, their families and carers are:

  • well-informed about their rights and protections
  • have more choice and control over the care they receive and be included in decisions about their care
  • have confidence in the quality and safety of care and services
  • empowered to raise issues and share their experiences and be confident these will be heard and addressed
  • are protected by a system that prioritises their safety, rights, dignity and changing needs.

The four proposed foundations of the approach of the new model are rights-based, risk-based, person-centred, and continuous improvement. And the proposed regulatory safeguards and tools are:

  • registration: provider registration and worker screening
  • provider responsibilities: reporting, incident management, standards and a code of conduct
  • market oversight: monitoring, compliance, enforcement and complaints
  • engagement and capacity building: information sharing, information for consumers, and education and engagement.

In addition to the full paper, the consultation pack includes a 43-page plain English version of the paper and an eight-page summary document.

Aged care stakeholders can provide feedback on the proposed model and register their interest to attend Stage 3 workshops until 10 October 2022.

Home care payment platform

The department is seeking feedback from aged care providers, employees and financial officers in the home aged care sector to inform the design of payment arrangements under the reforms to in-home care.

The consultation involves a one-hour survey on a new payments platform, which aims to enable the payment and reporting of government subsidies and client contributions, with an option for client bookings.

The survey aims to help the department understand how organisations currently manage in-home aged care client bookings, staff rostering, invoicing, payments and reporting, and how these systems could be complemented.

The payment platforms survey, which has been developed in partnership with ThinkPlace, closes on 14 October 2022.

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Tags: aged-care-royal-commission, home-care-packages, payments platform, regulation,

1 thought on “Help inform aged care reforms

  1. I want to know when a standard for oral health will be introduced? Unless there is a standard or requirement to carry our evidence-based oral health care, residents and clients will be living with rotting teeth, infected gums, filthy dentures and smelly mouths. Potentilaly preventable hospitalisations and deaths from aspiration pneumonia and infecitve endocarditis will also continue. Shame…..

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