The Aged Care Workforce Industry Council has launched its Voluntary Industry Code of Practice for aged care providers and workers.
The new Code is designed to enable the industry to get ahead of consumer and community expectations and show that the sector is taking responsibility for ‘shifting mindsets’ since the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
The Council was established in 2017 following Professor John Pollaers’ workforce taskforce report, which outlined 14 strategic actions including:
- An industry-led, voluntary Code of Conduct (similar to the Retirement Living Council’s Code);
- Addressing the funding shortfall;
- Setting up a rural and remote accord;
- Establishing an aged care research centre to support local innovation;
- Reframing the qualification and skills framework;
- Defining new career pathways;
- Approach to workforce planning and skill mix modelling;
- Implementing new attraction and retention strategies; and
- Developing an IR framework to better reflect the changing nature of work.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Senator Richard Colbeck, congratulated the Council for creating the voluntary code of practice – the first of its kind in Australia.
The Government also committed $10.3 million on the implementation of the Code over the next three years, as outlined in the 2020/21 Federal Budget.
You can find the Voluntary Industry Code of Practice for Aged Care here.
