Have your say: Consultation opportunities in aged care reform now open

Older people, aged care providers and aged care workers hold valuable insights and practical knowledge into the realities of aged care and what it means for aged care reform. Now is your chance to shape the future of aged care and be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime reform. Your Side’s Sector Support team have gathered a comprehensive list of time-critical consultation and engagement opportunities.  

Pricing for the Support at Home service list 2025-26   Closing 25 October 2024. The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) is seeking feedback on their development of unit prices for the Support at Home service list. Your feedback will ensure IHACPA provides pricing advice that meets the needs of the aged care sector and accurately reflects the cost of delivering safe and high-quality services. Submissions: IHACPA

Pilot program EOI: New In-home aged care quality indicator pilot   Expressions of Interest closing Monday 30 September 2024. The Department of Health and Aged Care is working to introduce quality indicators for in-home aged care. HealthConsult is running a 12-week pilot from early October 2024 to test the proposed quality indicators. Quality Indicators measure important aspects of quality of care that can affect an older person’s health and well-being. The pilot is open to CHSP, HCP or STRC providers. The full spectrum of in-home aged care service providers are encouraged to participate to ensure the final QIs are practical, relevant and effective in driving improved quality of care for all older people. Register your interest: Department of Health and Aged Care

Consultation Opportunities: Aged Care providers and workers

Submissions: Submit your response to the Senate Committee on the Aged Care Bill 2024

Closing Monday 30 September 2024. Anyone including organisations, workers and individuals are invited to provide a written response to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs. If your submission is accepted, it may be published and you may be offered the chance to speak as a witness at a hearing in October. These submissions will inform the committee recommendations on amendments to the Bill. Submissions: Senate Standing Committee 

Pilot program EOI: New In-home aged care quality indicator pilot  

Expressions of Interest closing Monday 30 September 2024. The Department of Health and Aged Care is working to introduce quality indicators for in-home aged care. HealthConsult is running a 12-week pilot from early October 2024 to test the proposed quality indicators. Quality Indicators measure important aspects of quality of care that can affect an older person’s health and well-being. The pilot is open to CHSP, HCP or STRC providers. The full spectrum of in-home aged care service providers are encouraged to participate to ensure the final QIs are practical, relevant and effective in driving improved quality of care for all older people. Register your interest: Department of Health and Aged Care 

Co-design workshop: CALD communications project (online)  

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is developing a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communications and engagement strategy to help CALD communities understand the upcoming changes to aged care and what it means for them. Join a co-design workshop on proposed messaging, communications channels, and communication barriers and opportunities.  

• Aged care workers and provider representatives: Wed 9 October 2024, 2:00pm to 3:30pm AEDT 

• Older people, their family, friends & representatives: Thurs 10 October 2024, 2:00pm to 3:30pm AEDT 

Register your interest: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission  

Survey or Written Submissions: Draft National Nursing Workforce Strategy 

Closing 20 October 2024. The Department of Health and Aged Care is developing Australia’s first National Nursing Workforce Strategy. The strategy will establish priorities for enhancing the nursing workforce, aiming to bolster the delivery of health and aged care to all Australian communities. It offers a comprehensive framework to foster collaboration and drive action among stakeholders in shaping the future of workforce planning, investment and reform.  Read the Draft National Nursing Workforce Strategy. Submissions: Department of Health and Aged Care 

Pricing for the Support at Home service list 2025-26  

Closing 25 October 2024. The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) is seeking feedback on their development of unit prices for the Support at Home service list. Your feedback will ensure IHACPA provides pricing advice that meets the needs of the aged care sector and accurately reflects the cost of delivering safe and high-quality services.  Submissions: IHACPA 

Expressions of Interest: Implementing Aged Care Reforms: discussions with the Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission (For aged care workers and providers)  

The Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission is seeking aged care providers and workers to join an informal network to provide insights and expertise on the development of processes and resources. Previous discussions covered the Strengthened Standards, website updates and educational products. Register your interest: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission  

Consultation Opportunities: Older people and their families, carers and representatives

Written Submissions: Submit your response to the Senate Committee on the Aged Care Bill 2024 

Closing Monday 30 September 2024 Anyone including organisations, workers and individuals are invited to provide a written response to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs. If your submission is accepted, it may be published and you may be offered the chance to speak as a witness at a hearing in October. These submissions will inform the committee of recommendations on amendments to the Bill. Submissions: Senate Standing Committee 

Co-design workshop: CALD communications project co-design workshop (online)  

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is developing a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communications and engagement strategy to help CALD communities understand the upcoming changes to aged care and what it means for them. Join a co-design workshop on proposed messaging, communications channels, and communication barriers and opportunities. 

• Aged care workers and provider representatives: Wed 9 October 2024, 2:00pm to 3:30pm AEDT

• Older people, their family, friends & representatives: Thurs 10 October 2024, 2:00pm to 3:30pm  

Register your interest: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission  

Consultation workshops: Elder Abuse awareness and educational material (11 locations nation-wide)  

COTA along with Elder Abuse Action Network (EAAN) are developing awareness-raising and educational material on Elder abuse – seeking people aged over 60 (or if a First Nations person, 45+) to participate in workshops to gather information that will guide and inform the development of these materials. Various workshops held Australia-wide throughout October:

• Older people, their family & representatives: Elder Abuse Action Network  

• Aged care workforce consultations: Elder Abuse Action Network 

Sydney workshop for older people: Thursday 17 October 2024, 9:30am to 12:30pm, Mercure Sydney 

Sydney workshop for aged care workforce: Friday 18 October 2024, 9:30am to 12:30pm, Mercure Sydney 

Survey, Focus groups or interview: Abuse and mistreatment of older LGBTIQA+ people 

Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), in partnership with Queerspace is seeking to explore LGBTIQA+ people’s understanding of elder abuse, their experiences of it, their help-seeking and protective actions, and what improvements can be made in relation to interventions, services, training and supports. There are multiple ways to participate:  

• Survey for LGBTIQA+ adults aged 18 years+. (closing late November 2024) 

• Online focus groups for LGBTIQA+ older adults. (commencing mid September)  

• Interviews online or face-to-face for LGBTIQA+ older adults. (commencing mid September) 

Full details: AIFS 

Consumers and Families Panel: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ongoing) 

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is seeking people who currently receive aged care services, or are considering these services, and their families and carers. Panel members can share ideas about fact sheets, videos and resources; how people can interact with the Commission, any issues and overall, what’s important to them.  Register your interest: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission  

Expressions of Interest: Aged Care websites and digital design (online)   

The Department of Health and Aged Care is seeking older people, carers and family members to be part of interviews, feedback and testing of websites and digital systems such as My Aged Care. Your feedback will help to make it easier to find, access and navigate the aged care system. Online sessions will run regularly from September to December 2024. Register your interest: Department of Health and Aged Care 

Surveys

Survey: Aged Care Reforms Survey for Older People 

Closing Friday 18 October 2024. Feedback is sought from older people, their families and carers on how well you understand the changes to aged care, how to improve access to aged care services, your communication preferences and if you feel the changes are having a positive impact.  Survey: Department of Health and Aged Care 

Survey: Abuse and mistreatment of older LGBTIQA+ people 

Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), in partnership with Queerspace is seeking to explore LGBTIQA+ people’s understanding of elder abuse, their experiences of it, their help-seeking and protective actions, and what improvements can be made in relation to interventions, services, training and supports. Survey for LGBTIQA+ adults aged 18 years+ (closing late November 2024). Full details: AIFS 

We strongly encourage you to both attend and share these resources with other sector workers as – well as with your clients and community. With the parliamentary process for the new aged care Bill firmly underway, now is the time for professionals and the community to come together and have our voices heard.  

We will continue to keep you informed of engagement and learning opportunities as they come. Click here to subscribe to Your Side’s Sector Support E-Bulletin for comprehensive monthly updates, and browse our Learning Library here for ongoing updates as well as foundational aged care learning resources. 

Lilly Sorensen, Your Side Sector Support Administrator