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Aged & Community Services
SA & NT Inc©
246 Glen Osmond Road,
Fullarton SA 5063
Phone: (08) 8338 7111
Fax: (08) 8338 7077
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Volume 1 Issue
7 – December 2008
Please note some of the articles provided will have additional papers which can be downloaded, or you will be directed to another website page. In some cases these documents are linked to the ACS Members Only section of this website and will require a Username and Password. All members have been issued with a Username and Password. If you have not received this please contact Gretta Koch with your contact details and she will issue you with your access details.
Index
Changes to WorkCover legislation affecting residential and community aged care providers
“Starting from January 2009 all organisations employing 30 or more actual workers (not EFTs) are required to appoint and train a Rehabilitation and Return To Work Co-ordinator (RRTWC) by 1st July 2009. Business operators will be obligated to ensure nominated RRTWC’s undergo approved training to up-skill them for the role.”
WorkCover SA December ’08 newsletter
Under Section 28D of the new legislation, the appointed RRTWC must be an employee based in South Australia. It is envisaged that more than 1500 organisations will require at least one member of staff to be trained in the first six months of 2009. WorkCover has approved only a limited number of RTOs to deliver this training.
Celtic Training, an ACS Industry Supporter, have just been approved to deliver the RRTWC training course and, where appropriate, to provide Recognition of Prior Learning assessments. They plan to deliver the three-day training program once per week from the week beginning 19 January 2009. Most of the training will be conducted in Adelaide; however, they also plan to conduct training in regional centres, subject to demand.
The company is offering a special deal for ACS members of $600 + GST for early enrolments.
Please contact David or Neville directly on 8211 8272 or email
ACFI update: high ACFI scoring and low ACAT rating
ACS recently received a response from the ACFI Project Team regarding high ACFI scoring and low ACAT rating.
Where the ACAT approval is limited to low care and a resident’s ACFI appraisal rates them in a high care range, they are classified as 'interim low' and the maximum rate of subsidy paid is $44.14 per day.
This will apply until either:
- a new ACAT assessment has been completed;
- the resident ‘ages in place’ (i.e. a valid reappraisal or a major change in classification is lodged and accepted); or
- a CNO classifies the resident at an ACFI level equivalent to a high level of care following a review.
A resident whose initial approval for permanent residential aged care is limited to low care will continue to be able to 'age in place' to a high care classification without the need for an ACAT reassessment (ACAS in Victoria). The introduction of the ACFI does not change this basic policy. However, there are some small exceptions outlined below.
Initial appraisal where ACAT low
Where a new resident has entered a home with a low care ACAT approval and their first appraisal is high care, an ACAT approval for high level care is required before the home can be paid at the high care rates. If the ACAT confirms a high level of care, the higher rate of payment will commence from the date of the ACAT approval.
Transfer rule – impact on ACATs
The Approval of Care Recipients Principles 1997 were amended to prevent an approval for care lapsing where a resident transfers to another aged care home within 28 days of leaving the original home. A new ACAT approval will, therefore, not be required when a resident transfers from one aged care home to another even if the initial approval was for low care. There are two qualifications to this new transfer rule:
- If a resident with a low ACAT approval wishes to pay an accommodation charge on transfer to their new home, an ACAT will be required. If the resident wishes to roll over an existing bond, no ACAT reassessment is required.
- Under the User Rights Principles 1997, an aged care home may request an ACAT reassessment where the home can no longer provide the required level of care for a resident. This assessment can also be provided by two independent medical practitioners.
When can a resident age in place?
A resident may age in place (ie move from a low care to a high care classification) in one of the following three ways:
- a valid reappraisal is received (eg upon expiry of an existing classification or following a major change in care needs);
- a new ACAT approval is provided which is not limited to low care (ie a high care approval); or
- a departmental review officer confirms the resident requires a high level of care during a classification review (validation).
What is a major change?
During the life of a classification, another application may be submitted if the resident’s care needs have significantly increased. This ‘major change’ is defined as being an increase of two or more classification levels. This increase in two levels can occur within a single care domain (eg increase from Low to High in Activities of Daily Living) or across two separate domains (eg increase from Low to Medium in both the Behaviour and Complex Health Care domains).
In addition, a ‘major change’ application may also be submitted for a single increase from Medium to High in the Complex Health Care domain if the resident is already categorised as High in Activities of Daily Living. No change in the Behaviour Domain is required.
During the transition from the RCS to the ACFI, a major change reappraisal may be submitted where the new ACFI classification calculated is $30 or more above the subsidy level for the resident’s existing RCS classification.
The new ACFI classification will remain effective for six months starting from the date of receipt of the application by Medicare Australia. The first assessment following the ‘major change’ reappraisal will not expire until the person permanently departs care.
ACFI training for care staff in the South East
Attention South-East aged care facility providers: once-off opportunity for localised ACFI training!
Date: Wednesday 21 January 2009
Target audience: Care staff training for the ‘next level'
Purpose: To explain what care staff need to understand regarding documenting - why do it and how it all fits the ACFI assessment jigsaw puzzle. This course, through flow-on effect, will assist Senior Managers to maximise ACFI assessments and specifically help care staff comprehend ACFI and their role with it.
Presenter: Jacqui Banham (HACE Consulting)
Cost: $90 per participant or $80 per participant if three or more participants* from one faciliity.
Venue: Longridge Retirement Village Inc. Attiwill Street, Naracoorte
*Note: Jacqui recommends a minimum of three people per facility attend all ACFI training to increase the ability to implement change: it helps with understanding training information and generally supporting each other.
Please contact Kellie Kulinski for further information.
Experienced consultants needed to evaluate NT initiatives
The Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) is seeking tenders from experienced consultants to evaluate several initiatives under the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER), focused on development of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community aged care workforce in the Northern Territory (NT).
The successful consultant will be required to evaluate a range of initiatives currently underway in the NT and to assess the overall effectiveness of these measures and the impact on both service providers and the workforce.
Applications close 12 December, please click here for further information.
New DVD resource available: An Introduction to Aged Care
An edited version of the ACSA 2008 Conference DVD Aged Care in the Fast Lane, (minus specific references to the Conference) is now available for purchase from ACS SA & NT.
A useful addition to any organisation’s resources, An Introduction to Aged Care will complement training sessions, staff induction programs, Board briefings and more.
The DVD costs $19.80 including GST and postage and handling within Australia. Please click here for the order form.
Request for Information – Mental Health Aged Extended Care Beds
The ‘Request for Information – Mental Health Aged Extended Care Beds’ was advertised in The Advertiser on Tuesday 2 December and is also available on the SA Government Tenders & Contracts website
Update on research project – Alone in a Crowd: supporting older Australians managing loneliness
This collaborative research project provides comprehensive in-depth insight into the perceptions and understandings of loneliness amongst older people and service providers.
Please click here to access the Bulletin, which provides an update on findings of the project.
Reminder: Grant Thornton Survey seminar – Wednesday 10 December
This seminar will explore the findings from the Grant Thornton Aged Care Survey in greater detail; particularly expanding on:
- benchmarked revenues and costs
- the impact of economies of scale in service size and portfolio
- present geographical trends in performance and construction costs
- recommendations and the implications of "consumer directed care" and the unbundling of aged care services
- response from industry and the Government and the strategies being developed.
Date: Wednesday 10 December
Time: 3–5 pm; light drinks and canapes served on completion
Venue: Enterprise House, 136 Greenhill Rd, Unley
RSVP: by 3 December to Lee Tregloan, phone 8372 6666
Speakers: Cam Ansell – National Head of Aged Care Services, Grant Thornton Australia; Professor Warren Hogan
Please click here for further information.
Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Safety Notice
Please click here for a copy of the November 2008 Safety Notice, which lists Health Services medical device recalls and product corrections issued by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Tri-State Conference program now available
This Conference will be held 1–3 March at The Albury Convention Centre. This year the theme is 'Juggling Priorities in Aged Care'. The full program is now available, please click here to access.
Microsoft review of concessional pricing for software licenses
Microsoft Australia is reviewing current usage of ‘academic’ software licenses. They are developing clearer criteria for eligibility for concessional pricing and intend to implement these more consistently. The Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council (ACIITC) has sought clarification from Microsoft and advised them of the negative impacts on IT growth in aged care that would result from an overly harsh policy.
In response, Microsoft has advised:
- They intend to issue a clear position regarding eligibility for concessional pricing, which will almost certainly be restricted to charities, by the end of this year.
- They will stop their current program of software audits pending the new criteria.
- They have asked ACSA and ACAA to inform them of any instances where aged care providers are still being audited pending the new criteria being finalised and promulgated.
- Microsoft has also referred to a transition framework, including offsets for aged care services that may be adversely affected.
ACSA and ACAA will advise further once discussions have progressed.
Dementia Community Grants Program
The Dementia Community Grants Program is available to all communities and groups and aims to:
- Promote and raise awareness of dementia
- Increase early intervention
- Provide local support for families and or carers
Applications close 8 December 2008. Grants will be paid by January 2009 and must be expended by December 2009.
Click here for further information.
Do you know Australia’s most remarkable nurse?
HESTA Super Fund, in conjunction with Members Equity Bank, is proud to present the 2009 HESTA Australia Nursing Awards. They seek your help in discovering nurses who go above and beyond the call of duty, and deserve to be recognised by this national awards program.
You can nominate a nurse in one of the three categories below:
- Nurse of the Year ($5,000 travel voucher plus $5,000 education grant)
- Innovation in Nursing ($10,000 development grant)
- Graduate Nurse of the Year: ($2,500 travel voucher plus $2,500 education grant)
Click here for more information.