The operators of aged care online platforms look set to face tougher regulation under the new Aged Care Act.
After consultation found that 85% of respondents believed online platforms should be required to be registered, the exposure draft of the new Act requires online platforms to be registered with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC).
"The community wants online platforms to be regulated," Assistant Secretary, Harmonisation and Regulatory Strategy Branch with the Department of Health and Aged Care, Caroline Turnour, told a Q&A panel discussion on the exposure draft of the new Act last week.
"Low fees mean more hours of support"
Chief Finance & Operations Officer of online aged care and disability worker platform Mable, Emma Clarke (pictured right), told The SOURCE that she welcomes the new Act but stressed the importance that Mable's services remain low cost.
"Mable is confident that its low overhead model will continue to appeal to both older people and aged care support workers.
"Our low fees mean more hours of support for clients and better earnings for independent support workers," she said.
New requirements under the new Act
Speaking at the Department's online discussion on the exposure draft, which 1,500 attended, Caroline said, "The department's primary concern here is that the parties delivering care services is registered and regulated, so that older Australians can have trust and confidence in the safety and quality of the services being provided."
She said there will be a "statutory duty of operators of aged care digital platforms that enforces the obligations of these providers:
- to notify the Commission if they are operating a platform,
- implement a complaints management system and manage complaints in accordance with that system,
- implement an incident management system and manage incidents in accordance with that system,
- display on the platform a summary of the explanation of the Complaints Management and Incident Management System
- display the Aged Care Statement of Rights in a way that is easily accessible to older people seeking to access aged care services and
- report to the Commissioner, the Department and the Complaints Commissioner or the Aged Care Inspector General any information which is prescribed for them in the rules."
Subcontractors are workers
Subcontractors to online platforms, referred to as 'associated providers' in the Exposure Draft, will be considered workers for the platform.
"It is a responsibility of the registered provider that is subcontracting these services to ensure the associated provider is meeting all the requirements and obligations associated with the delivery of that care," Caroline said.
"Any worker delivering services to older people on behalf of the registered provider, as a direct employee, or by other arrangements such as subcontracting, is considered an aged care worker of the provider."
