Aged Care Road Map - my summary
This week the Aged Care Road Map by the Aged Care Sector Committee was released. Below is my summary/take on the major recommendations.
The Merging of Home Care (CDC, CHSP, HACC, .....) and Residential Aged Care (Nursing Homes) into one by:
1. Moving to one clinical assessment to enter Home Care and Residential Aged Care by one team. Merging of the Aged Care Assessment Team's (ACAT's) and Regional Assessment Service's (RAS).
2. Moving to one subsidy system for which the same level of $ money is paid for each care level, no matter if the consumer chooses to stay at home or move into a residential aged care facility.
3. Single registration for all types of Approved Provider Status.
4. Single Accreditation systems for Home Care and Residential Aged Care.
5. Deregulation of maximum fees and what can be charged for, regulations kept to protect low income consumers.
6. Consumer's in Residential Aged Care to have greater choice on what services they receive.
Consumer Directed Care in Residential Aged Care (CDC in Nursing Homes)
1. The above describes the merging of Home Care and Residential Aged Care, with Home Care the new way of providing and funding services.
2. The word CDC in Nursing Homes or Consumer Directed Care in Residential Care seem to have been avoided in the document, no big headings or paragraphs. But everything above describes CDC in Residential Aged Care.
Market based competition to drive innovation and quality
1. Remove regulation where possible to allow this.
Protection for low income and other potentially disadvantaged groups
1. Keep regulation to protect minimum standards, but remove regulations that may be stifling innovation and choice.
2. This is deregulation of fees and types of services with protection for some groups.
Bonds/RAD's/RAC's
1. Bond values have increased significantly over the last 2 years and are predicted to keep significantly increasing over the next 10 to 20 years. This appears to be the only area of increased regulation recommended.
2. Following the user pays theme for consumers, organisations to be asked to pay the commercial value of the Bond Balance Guarantees that Commonwealth Government provides.
Increase public awareness
1. Educate the public on the need to plan and discuss with family what they want when they need aged care, stay at home or residential/types of services etc.
2. Dementia training and awareness for both the public and providers.
Summary
Merging of Home Care and Residential Care
CDC In Residential Care
Deregulation and market based innovation and quality
User pays, including organisations paying for bond guarantees
Public awareness campaigns to consumers and their family
What is Invera Software doing?
Inerva Software is working to be ahead of the curve on these changes. Our new Home Care Software module is designed to specifically work with Consumer Directed Care. We also cater for NDIS Software, Private Home Care Software, CHSP Software, VHC Software and Retirement Village Software as well as Residential Aged Care Software.
Please read the full document to form your own opinion and understanding on the Aged Care Road Map.
https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/04_2016/strategic_roadmap_for_aged_care_web.pdf