CHSP Provider Community of Practice Hub

In May, the Australian Government released the Budget, and the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHA) held a Reforming in-home aged care update webinar and a New Model for Regulating Aged Care webinar.

• Click here for access to the webinar (the webinar recording will likely be added 25 May 2023).
• Click here to access the presentation slides for the New Model for Regulating Aged Care webinar (9 May 2023)

Here's some key points from the recent releases for CHSP and HCP Providers (as we understand it). Thank you to Enkindle for providing us with a summary of the following information.

• Fair Work Commission ruling
  • The Government is funding the Fair Work Commission's interim decision for a 15% pay increase from 1 July 2023.
    • For CHSP Providers, DoHA will make a six-month payment of grant funding in July, rather than payment in arrears. Payment for the pay increase will occur later in the year - more information to come.
    • For HCP Providers, the HCP subsidy will increase to pay for the increase. There will be a grant opportunity for HCP Providers with high-wage components (HCP 3s and 4s). You will still need to negotiate with HCP clients to increase rates to reflect the changes.
    • This may differ for providers who already pay above the award
• New Worker Registration Scheme
  • 1 July 2024 - Worker screening and registration commences
  • 1 July 2025 - Proposed commencement date for English proficiency and ongoing training requirements
• Assessment
  • The new Single Assessment Service, including the new assessment tool, will commence from 1 July 2024 and will be adapted to support the new In-Home Care Program on 1 July 2025.
  • Indigenous Assessment Organisations will be able to apply via an open tender.
• Support at Home / In-Home Care Program
  • Will commence 1 July 2025 (previously due to commence 1 July 2024)
• Aged Care Taskforce
  • A new Aged Care Taskforce will be established to review aged care funding arrangements and develop options to make the system fair and equitable for all Australians
• Pricing Study
  • IHACPA will conduct a pricing study in 2023-24 to determine fair and efficient prices for in-home aged care
• Assistive Technology Loans Trial
  • In 2023-24 there will be a trial for an assistive technology loans program in association with the States and Territories
• Home Care Packages
  • In 2023-24 there will be an additional 9,500 HCPs - 8,500 Level 3 and 1,000 Level 4 Packages
• Quality Indicators
  • In 2023-24 there is a potential pilot and rollout of the expansion of Quality Indicators in Home Care
• New Aged Care Act
  • A new Aged Care Act is being developed in a staged approach to coincide with the commencement of the Support at Home reforms. The initial first stage of the new Act will be implemented from 1 July 2024 and second stage amendments to the new Act to implement the new In-Home Aged Care will commence from 1 July 2025.
• New Regulatory Framework for Aged Care
  • Consultation is currently open, closing 23 June 2023. The new regulatory framework will commence from 1 July 2024.
• New Quality Standards
  • Transition to the new quality standards will commence from 1 July 2024.
• Supporting Health, Care and Support services in thin markets
  • There will be $27.1 million available over 4 years to undertake a trial of join commissioning across primary health, disability, aged care and veterans' care services in up to 10 locations where the care and support supply gap shortages and other areas where access to culturally appropriate services can be improved for First Nations Communities. This measure builds upon the trials that have commenced in Longreach, the Kimberley, and South-East NSW, will planning underway for a fourth site in Gippsland.
• Aged Care Viability Support Programs
  • For HCP Providers, there will be an extension to the Business Advisory Services Program and the Workforce Advisory Services Program
  • For CHSP Providers - further information to come. However, COTA Queensland's CHSP Sector Support and Development's contract has been extended to 30 June 2024.
• Supporting First Nations Elders in Aged Care
  • Initiatives to provide culturally safe aged care services include:
    • establishing an interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner
    • increasing accountability by including the NATSIFAC program in the new Aged Care Act
    • aligning the NATSIFAC Program with the national price under the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) in very remote areas
    • providing intensive targeted support to 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations to build their capacity and capability to deliver aged care services to First Nations Elders
    • embedding cultural safety and trauma aware healing informed care in the delivery of all aged care services to increase access and the quality of services.
• Aged Care Regulation Design
  • The proposed Aged Care Regulation Design is outlined in the links above. We encourage you to view these documents and provide feedback.
  • It outlines proposals on who can provide services, the service types, registration, the regulatory framework, provider obligations and oversight of the programs.

Contact COTA Queensland's Sector Support and Development Team if you would like to discuss further - CHSPSectorSupport@cotaqld.org.au.