The new aged care regulatory model, including the new Aged Care Act and Aged Care Quality Standards, were originally due to take effect from 1 July 2024.
With those sector-altering reforms pushed back to 1 July 2025, next week no longer marks such a significant turning point for the aged care sector.
However there are some significant changes taking effect from 1 July 2024:
- The new National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines take effect, with the purpose of creating more home-like environments in residential aged care.
- The first stage of the Single Assessment System will begin with the introduction of the new Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT). Existing ACAT and RAS organisations will use the IAT to assess older people for in-home aged care programs and residential aged care. From late 2024, the ACAT, RAS and AN-ACC workforces will transition into the Single Assessment Workforce to deliver the Single Assessment System. First Nations assessment organisations will be introduced progressively from 1 July 2025.
- Pharmacists will be able to work onsite in aged care homes through community pharmacies or employed directly from 1 July 2024. Aged care homes will also be able to claim the pharmacist’s salary from 1 October 2024.
- Transitional arrangements remain in place for 'bed-ready' residential aged care places, which means aged care providers will continue to gain approval for aged care beds.
The Reform Roadmap on the Department of Health and Aged Care's website has yet to be updated to reflect the delayed start to aged care reforms.
"The reform roadmap is currently being updated to reflect 2024-25 Budget outcomes and will be published online in due course," a spokesperson for the Department told The SOURCE.
