Best Practice in Care March Article – Are you prepared for the new standards?
Ilsa Bird – Sector Support Coordinator
Information and resources for the aged care workforce and service providers
2019 will see the implementation of the new Aged Care Quality Standards. Providers will be responsible to adhere to these standards and show evidence of the requirements for each of the eight standards. According to the AACQA, the term quality must be related to a consumer’s whole care experience which goes beyond the services provided. Quality services should:
- Offer flexibility and choice
- Support informed decision making
- Partner with consumers to co-produce care plans
- Provide transparent and accessible information
- Address the individual needs and goals of consumers
Frontline workers and staff have a responsibility to ensure service delivery is underpinned by the requirements outlined by the Standards. This month we have produced a ‘Workforce self-assessment checklist’ which can be used by frontline workers to understand their responsibilities relevant to the new single set of quality standards and determine their readiness to implement them in daily practice. Additionally, the checklist can assist organisations to identify gaps in processes and procedures or workforce training requirements. Not all requirements in the Standards will be relevant to every organisation however consider this checklist as a guide that can be tailored to your organisation’s context. The checklist has been adapted from the AACQA guidance resources released in early 2019.
Download the ‘Workforce Self-Assessment Checklist’ here
Once the checklist is complete, identify the areas where there are gaps in your skills and/or knowledge. Take the initiate to contact your supervisor for support or undertake some appropriate professional development (see examples below).
Training and development resources
Your Side Sector Support Workshops
Communicating and Understanding Customers Workshop 4th April
Free In-house Sessions for Staff
OPAN
Talk to us first: Aged care advocacy training. The Older Persons Advocacy Network has developed a 15-minute training resources which educates staff and providers about the rights of older people and the services that OPAN provide.
Hornsby Shire Council Sector Support
Cultural Competence – Chinese Focus
Tuesday 26th March 2019
9.15am-2.30pm
The Epping Club
This training will be presented by the Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra and organised by Carolyn Bush from Hornsby Shire Council. The training will assist service providers to develop strategies to enhance cultural competence.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
Various resources are available on the Commission’s new website including workshops and fact sheets about preparing for the new standards, managing consumer complaints and advocacy services. https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/education
ACSA
Aged care professionals can purchase online courses related to HR issues, WHS, clinical and personal care and leadership and management.
The next topic in the ‘Best Practice in Care’ series will discuss communication in frontline care and service delivery. To receive a copy of this article, sign up for the e-Bulletin here.
Sources
Aged Care Quality Agency. (2018). New single quality standards: consumer information resources. Phase 1: Report. Retrieved from https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/Consumer%20Resources_Standards_Phase1-Report-060718_PDF.pdf
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. (2019). Guidance and resources for Providers to support the Aged Care Quality Standards. Retrieved from https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/Full%20Standards%20Guidance%201-8%20Updated%20180119.pdf