Residential Care Quality and Safety Reforms

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Summary of Quality and Safety Reforms

Reform activities will strengthen the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to further protect senior Australians.

The Australian Government will invest $231.9 million to:

enable the Commission to do 1,500 more site audits,
enforce regulation of physical and chemical restraint use,
expand the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) into home care,
increase funding for the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service and the Severe Behaviour Response Teams,
give specialist dementia training to aged care providers.

A new star rating system will highlight the quality of aged care services providing informed decision-making for senior Australians, their families, friends and carers.

Investment in independent advocacy will support greater choice and quality safeguards, funding will also assist providers to understand the diversity of the community and barriers to accessing aged care.

The government will improve primary care support between aged care and health care systems with $365.7 million to:

boost the Aged Care Access Incentive and increase GP face-to-face care,
expand the Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care Pilot,
better support Primary Health Networks (PHNs) telehealth services and help health practitioners to care for vulnerable patients,
produce better data and evidence for workforce planning,
improve medication management in residential care.

Residential Care Quality and Safety Reforms Timetable

2021

Immediate improvement to the quality of care in dementia, diversity, food and nutrition services.
Stronger clinical care services developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.
Up to 120,000 additional GP services through the boosted Aged Care Access Initiative.
Increased dementia care capability delivers better outcomes for people living with dementia.
Palliative care services expanded to support end-of-life care at home.

2022

Residents access improved care through Primary Health Networks facilitating telehealth and out-of-hours triage services.
Expansion of the Serious Incident Response Scheme gives 1 Million Senior Australians receiving home and community care greater protection.
Stronger presence of Aged Care Quality and Safeth Commission in facilities with and extra 1,500 on-site audits.
Providers to report regularly to residents and families on care and commencement of Star Rating System.

2023

Improved support and training in dementia care and minimising restraint (restrictive practices).

2024

National Aged Care Data Strategy improves the information that is available to senior Australians about the quality in aged care.
New independent regulatory authority established following review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

2025

Senior Australians receive high quality compassionate care.
Confidence in Aged Care is rebuilt by the Commonwealth and aged care providers, and regained by the Australian community.

Royal Commission Aged Care Final Report

Download RCAC Final Report:

1:   Recommendations (4.20 Mb)
2:   Current System (1.83 Mb)
3a: New System (2.65 Mb)
3b: New System (3.53 Mb)
4a: Hearings (6.56 Mb)
4b: Hearings (9.14 Mb)
4c: Hearings (8.82 Mb)
5:   Appendices (5.98 Mb)

Aged Care Reform Now

Aged Care Connect is a member of Aged Care Reform Now

Aged Care Reform Now (ACRN):

is an online community of people with the shared vision of a high quality Australian Aged Care sector.
is rapidly growing in membership numbers.
consists of current care recipients, family members, friends, aged care workers, aged care advocates and others who are passionate about social justice.
members come together to contribute to, and lobby government for, meaningful Aged Care Reform.

ACRN aim is to develop sustainable solutions, not amplify problems. ACRN believe it is only by working together – with care recipients, families, staff, aged care providers, peak bodies, health related unions, academics, Health Department bureaucrats, and politicians – that frail older Australians will receive the appropriate care and support they need.

ACRN membership is FREE and has as an active Facebook group. You can join ACRN at:
ACRN Facebook Page.

If you’re not on Facebook, you can still access ACRN at:
agedcarereformnow.com.au

Individualised Placement Plan

An individual placement plan is developed for each of our family clients.

The placement plan contains detailed client requirements and family preferences, shortlist of suitable facilities and a timetable of work completed and planned to achieve the successful placement outcome.

Our family clients can request the current status of the tasks on the plan. This formal approach helps with communication between all interested parties, including social workers in the hospital.

We also request feedback from families of our services and where we can continually improve and revise our service for future family clients.