The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is driving wide-ranging changes to laws, regulations and funding requirements governing aged care in Australia, including community and in-home care. The commissioners expressed their concern about the extent of substandard care reflecting poor quality on the part of some aged care providers and fundamental systemic flaws in the design and governance of the Australian aged care system. New legislation will shift our focus from the funding requirements of providers to the care needs of older people.
The new Act (Aged Care Bill 2023) aims to move the sector to a rights-based and person-centred approach that incentivises continuous quality improvement, which is fundamental to high quality care. It includes a Statement of Rights recognising an individual’s need for funded aged care services to be assessed, reassessed, and delivered in a manner that is culturally safe, culturally appropriate, trauma aware and healing informed, and accessible and suitable for individuals living with dementia or other cognitive impairment.
Together with Social Futures, Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) Sector Support and Development teams we have developed a Reform Ready Checklist to assist CHSP providers to assess your preparation for the reforms and consider and prioritise your efforts in business transformation, systems development and enhancing governance and practice.
