The Federal Government has introduced its first legislation in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
It is targeting:
- the use of restrictive practices, such as the chemical and physical restraint of residents;
- the appointment of a senior practitioner to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission;
- the expansion of the powers of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner;
- reviews of arrangements for the delivery and administration of home care; and
- the scrapping of the legal requirement for an Aged Care Financing Authority.
“The Australian Government wants to see the continuous improvement of home care services, through better policy, improved practices and provider-led enhancements,” Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck said.
“These assurance reviews will be run through the Department of Health, and while they will complement the work of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, they won’t duplicate it. This will also permit information to be shared with the Commission if issues of compliance are detected.
“Assurance reviews will target a number of possible scenarios, including the use of home care subsidies and home care recipient charges, the nature of home care services, and provider dealings with home care recipients.”
The Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No. 1) Bill 2021, introduced into Parliament, is ahead of the new Aged Care Act planned for 2023.
The Bill is the first step in the Morrison Government’s five-year, five pillar, aged care reform plan addressing home care, residential aged care services and sustainability, residential care quality and safety, workforce and governance in response to the Aged Care Royal Commission.
