While some providers expressed concern to Australian Ageing Agenda about the digital readiness of the the aged care sector for the 1 July changes, other providers said they felt confident in their preparations and welcomed the transition period as a time of positive change.
From July, the new Aged Care Act is set to bring major changes to the sector, introducing new regulatory frameworks, reporting requirements, staffing quality indicators and provider obligations.
Some aged care executives expressed slight concerns about the expected timeline of change, but overall felt assured it could be achieved, pointing to the fact that the busy planning period will ultimately bring a better quality of care for older people.
Victoria-based provider Benetas is looking forward to the upcoming sector-wide reforms, with chief executive officer Sandra Hills saying the changes represent a fundamental shift in the sector’s relationship with consumers.
“The new Act provides us with a once in a generation opportunity to enable a better experience for Australians, against a backdrop of an ageing population,” she told AAA.
However, Ms Hills also expressed some worry about the timelines, telling AAA they look forward to receiving “further clarity, guidance and support from the department and the Aged Care Transition Taskforce, as the changes roll out.”
“Older Australians have a right to expect that the new Aged Care Act will be set up for success. In order to do this, it’s essential that providers have enough time and information to establish and deliver new operating models, models of care, processes, systems and training.”
Overall, Ms Hills is confident in Benetas’ ability to implement the changes, having been working through the changes for some time and introducing cross functional teams focused on how to best support customers during the transition period.
In terms of preparing for the changes, Stephen Muggleton, chief executive officer at Bolton Clarke, said they too have introduced targeted project teams to work on the implementation of stronger standards, better aged care and Support at Home.
Bolton Clarke was also able to provide direct input into the Support at Home changes as part of the Transition Taskforce and Aged Care Transition Working Group which has assisted them in readying themselves for the upcoming changes.
Bolton Clarke has also stress tested its work to implement the new standards through commissioning an independent audit, which Mr Muggleton said is progressing well.
While Mr Muggleton explained that Bolton Clark is overall feeling quite confident in their readiness for the changes, he also noted the pressure on providers to implement everything in time.
“Communications are coming through across multiple platforms. There’s a lot of information and it can change quickly,” he told AAA.
“We’ve made good progress but there’s been a lot of pressure placed on providers to meet deadlines, and that pace hasn’t necessarily been matched by clarification from the government on key details.”
Mr Muggleton also highlighted how there have been several leadership changes within the department recently, which causes further uncertainty amid Australia heading into an election year.
Overall however, Mr Muggleton emphasised that the team at Bolton Clarke is pleased to have been part of the process in working toward a “stronger and more sustainable aged care sector.”
“The new Aged Care Act is an important response to the royal commission. It represents a rare opportunity to lay the foundations for an integrated system of long-term care and support focused on independence and self-determination.”
Other providers, such as Opal HealthCare, have focused their preparations less on project teams and more on digital systems, and like Bolton Clarke, has been involved with the department in recent years to pilot some of the upcoming changes.
“Opal HealthCare is well prepared for a number of reasons,” said chief executive officer Rachel Argaman.
“First, because of the investment Opal HealthCare has made in our digital systems over the last six years.
“Second, we had already implemented a program of systems changes before the new Act was announced, as part of a proactive strategy of person-centred care.
“And third, because the majority of regulatory changes were foreshadowed in the government’s response to the recommendations for reform contained in the royal commission into aged care.”
Ms Argaman acknowledges that while Opal HealthCare is prepared, there is still a lot to do before 1 July, with the additional system changes requiring focused investment in a short period of time.
She also gave credit to the department for doing its best to provide resources and carry out public consultations on such a short timeframe.
Ms Argaman also noted that it is important the new rigorous requirements do not add to the burden of administration and should focus on the essential and important face to face care while streamlining reporting to focus on the key insights of good resident care.
“The regulatory timeline is ambitious, and a challenge for providers who must be able to balance the design and introduction of new reporting systems, and the training that comes with that, without compromising time for team members to spend with and caring for residents,” she told AAA.
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